Evaluating Mental State at the Time of Offense: Beyond the Basics
UVA School of Law, Purcell Reading Room
April 17, 2023, 9:30 AM - 3:00 PM
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This one-day, in-person workshop focuses on the assessment of a defendant’s mental state at the time of the offense as it relates to criminal responsibility (sanity). There will be a historical review of sanity doctrines along with a discussion of the relevant statutes, case law, rules of evidence, and the rules of criminal procedures. Dr. Cochrane provides a practice model for the assessment of criminal responsibility, emphasizing the evidence necessary to address the functional legal capacities in sanity cases. Additional topics include: objective and subjective standards of moral wrongfulness; evidentiary basis for inferences about wrongfulness; psychological testing in sanity evaluations; dealing with complications (e.g., denial of involvement in the alleged offense), and practical report writing strategies. Clinical cases and vignettes will provide participants the opportunity to apply the reviewed concepts to case details in sanity evaluations. Dr. Cochrane will also discuss assessing a defendant’s intent, which is relevant to assessments under the new Virginia code §19.2-271.6 (2021).
This intermediate training is well-suited for forensic evaluators with some prior training or experience evaluating mental state at the time of the offense. Please contact us for detailed information about the day’s schedule.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of the program, participants will be able to:
Identify key statutes and case law relevant to sanity.
Describe essential components of a thorough sanity evaluation.
Distinguish between moral and legal wrongfulness, as well as subjective vs. objective standards.
Articulate at least three key empirical findings related to sanity research.
Explain and differentiate not guilty by reason of insanity from other exculpatory defenses, including diminished capacity and intent crimes.
Understand when psychological testing may be indicated in sanity evaluations.
The Instructor
Bob Cochrane, PhD, is the Statewide Director of Forensic Services for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, where he oversees forensic services in North Carolina. He previously served as the Behavioral Health Training Director for the NC Department of Public Safety, leading the internship programs and developing Continuing Education and staff training. Dr. Cochrane retired from the Federal Bureau of Prisons in 2020 after 21 years of service, working as the internship training director and forensic evaluator at the Federal Correctional Complex in Butner, NC. He is board certified in Forensic Psychology and has testified throughout the country on capital and high-profile cases. Dr. Cochrane has been actively involved in teaching and supervising students and young professionals throughout his career and has been an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina and guest lecturer at Duke University. He has chaired and served on several professional committees, and he is the past president of the American Academy of Forensic Psychology and a past board member and examination faculty for the American Board of Forensic Psychology.
Neither the instructors nor the program planning committee (Daniel Murrie, Ph.D., Lucy Guarnera, Ph.D., & Angela Torres, Ph.D.) have any conflicts of interest or commercial support to disclose.
Continuing Education
Participants can expect to receive up to 5 hours of continuing education credits (CEUs) approved by the American Psychological Association (APA). ILPPP is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. ILPPP maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
Unfortunately, we cannot offer continuing education for psychiatrists, attorneys, or social workers at this time. Please contact us with any questions.
Training Fees
$225: Standard registration
$95: Employees of Virginia DBHDS or a Community Services Board (CSB)
Please note that the reduced rate is available only for DBHDS and CSB employees, rather than all state employees, because DBHDS partially sponsors this training program.
Occasionally large facilities or state agencies outside Virginia want to send a team of trainees, for whom we can arrange a discounted group rate. Please contact us to discuss such arrangements.
Cancellation Policy
Cancellations must be made at least 48 hours prior to the start of the training. All cancellations are assessed a $50 cancellation fee to cover administrative costs.
Please allow 30 days to receive a refund. Refunds will be processed according to the original payment method.
How to Register
Click the button below to register via UVA’s secure payment page. Approximately one week prior to the training, you will receive an email with detailed attendance instructions. Please contact training coordinator Dr. Daniel Murrie with questions.
Your credit card statement will read “UVA ILPPP PROGRAM CONF FEES” for this purchase.