Dr. Sanjay Shah

We reach out to Dr. Sanjay Shah when forensic psychological evaluations are needed.

Here is what Dr. Shah has to offer our team:

Dr. Shah completed a joint psychology and law program through Drexel University’s Clinical Psychology program and Villanova University’s School of Law.  After receiving his doctorate degree, Dr. Shah completed post-doctoral training in forensic psychology with the Psychiatry and Law Service at Emory University. He worked for the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities before establishing his forensic and clinical psychological practice in 2015. He is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor with the Emory University School of Medicine. His forensic psychology work mainly involves issues related to criminal justice.

Forensic psychology has over the years played a key role in the legal field of criminal justice. To fully appreciate how this field of psychology affects criminal justice, it is important to first understand what it is and how it is applied in court cases.

Definition of Forensic Psychology
Forensic psychology is a unique combination of psychology and criminal justice. The American Psychological Association (APA) defines forensic psychology as the use of clinical specialties in the legal system. A forensic psychologist applies psychological principles, data, research, and theory to provide an in depth analysis regarding the factors involved in criminal acts and behavior.

Forensic evaluations and psychosexual evaluations can greatly assist our team in obtaining the best results for our clients.

When is a Forensic Assessment Needed
A forensic assessment is needed when there is a complex legal question such as insanity or mental competency that can only be answered by a professional psychologist. In this case the psychologist is hired to determine the accused person’s mental and psychological status. The psychologist will conduct clinical interviews with the defendant as well as collateral interviews with family, friends, witnesses, police officers, attorneys, and other relevant parties to the case. He or she will also review the defendant’s school, medical/psychological, and criminal records, run psychological tests, and eventually provide a professional opinion that will help to answer the legal question at hand.

Assessment of treatment programs for adult and juvenile offenders
It is used in court rooms, schools and in the fields of counseling and drug/alcohol treatment.

Basically, the forensic psychologist can help to determine the mental and psychological status of an accused person during the commission or omission of the act.

These evaluations can also be extremely helpful when negotiating a favorable resolution by providing the District Attorney with mitigating factors and “humanizing” our clients.