Forensic psychological evaluations seek to measure applicable psychological and legal constructs with the main goal of helping to address legal questions or other unknowns (McLaughlin & Kan, 2014). A forensic psychological evaluation may be performed in order to determine if individuals are dangerous or pose a threat to themselves or others (Cohen, Swerdlik, & Sturman, 2013). This type of evaluation would rely on multiple data sources (e.g. interview data, history data, formal testing, etc.) and would vary depending on the different factors discovered during an assessment. Additionally, evaluation of individuals may offer a predictive element in which the possible risk of further, or future, violence can be understood (McLaughlin & Kan, 2014).
