Juvenile Transfer Evaluations / Juvenile Waiver Evaluations

Under certain circumstances, juveniles may be directly charges as adults. In these cases a psychological evaluation may be requested by the court, prosecution, or defense in order to help address questions that are relevant (e.g., amenability to treatment, supervision or rehabilitation, the child's mental capacity and maturity, etc) for transferring the case from delinquency proceedings to the criminal justice system or vice-versa. Psychologists conducting such assessments need to be competent in the area of juvenile development and delinquency, treatment interventions designed for adolescents, and family systems. Such an evaluation may include, but is not limited to the following:

• Review of relevant records and history (e.g., academic records, criminal records)
• Background information/ relevant history: social history, psychiatric/ psychological history, medical history, academic/ achievement history, substance abuse history, criminal offending history
• Clinical interview(s) of defendant
• Collateral interview with a caregiver or family member
• Psychological testing (e.g., intellectual and personality assessment)
• Diagnostic impressions
• Summary of findings
• Risk for re-offense
• Recommendations

Services in Southeastern Pennsylvania & the Delaware Valley

Dr. Lawler provides Juvenile Transfer Evaluations / Juvenile Waiver Evaluations to Proceed services in Southeastern Pennsylvania (including Bucks, Philadelphia, Delaware, Montgomery, and Chester Counties) and New Jersey (including Hunterdon, Mercer, Somerset, Burlington, Middlesex, Ocean, Union, and Atlantic Counties).