6 Hours / 6 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Evidence-Based Evaluations of Criminal Responsibility is presented by Terry Kukor, Ph.D., ABPP, in partnership with The American Academy of Forensic Psychology.

This program focuses on assessing a defendant’s mental state at the time of the offense as it relates to issues of criminal responsibility (sanity). Specific topics include practical assessment of the defendant’s understanding of the nature, quality, and wrongfulness of their behavior; objective and subjective standards of moral wrongfulness; evidentiary basis for inferences about wrongfulness; amnesia and sanity; using collateral information; psychological testing in criminal responsibility evaluations; the relationship between symptoms and mental state at the time of the alleged offense; dealing with complications (e.g., denial of involvement in the alleged offense); accounting for contradictory data; formulating opinions; and malingering in criminal responsibility evaluations. A practice model for the assessment of criminal responsibility is introduced, emphasizing gathering and evaluating the evidence necessary to address the functional legal capacities in question. Practical report-writing strategies are reviewed as well. Clinical cases and vignettes provide participants with valuable opportunities to apply the conceptual framework to case detail in criminal responsibility evaluations.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

  • 1 Describe legal principles relevant to the evaluation of criminal responsibility (sanity)
  • 2 Describe a conceptual framework for evaluating legal sanity
  • 3 Describe questions designed to elicit “big picture” and “behavioral detail” data pertinent to evaluation of criminal responsibility evaluations
  • 4 Describe examples of evidence that can be used to support an opinion about sanity
  • 5 Describe effective techniques for bridging clinical and behavioral data with relevant legal principles
  • 6 Describe how bias can interfere with objective consideration of diversity factors (e.g., race, culture, sexual orientation, etc.) in the evaluation of criminal responsibility
  • 7 Describe the conceptual framework to forensic case examples

  • Intended Audience

    This training is designed for mental health and allied professionals who are involved in forensic psychology or criminal responsibility evaluations. It is intended for those who conduct assessments of defendants’ mental state at the time of an offense and contribute their expertise to legal or forensic processes.

    Examples of Relevant Professionals:

    • Mental health professionals (psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, counselors)
    • Allied professionals involved in forensic or legal settings
    • Professionals specializing in forensic psychology or criminal responsibility evaluations

  • Experience Level

    This training is appropriate for licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals at various stages of experience in forensic mental health assessment.

    • Beginner: Participants new to criminal responsibility evaluations who are developing foundational knowledge of legal principles, assessment strategies, and relevant clinical concepts.

    • Intermediate: Participants with some experience in forensic assessment who are seeking to deepen their skills in applying conceptual frameworks, integrating clinical and legal data, and addressing complex case variables.

    • Advanced: Participants with substantial experience in forensic mental health who are refining advanced techniques, addressing nuanced challenges, and contributing to best practices in criminal responsibility evaluations.

  • Practice Setting

    Practice occurs in secure clinical and legal environments where professionals evaluate defendants’ mental state at the time of the offense, integrate collateral records and psychological testing, and formulate opinions aligned with legal standards of wrongfulness. Work is evidence-driven and often interdisciplinary, emphasizing structured interviews, management of contradictory data and potential malingering, concise report-writing, and testimony in high-stakes proceedings.

    Examples of Practice Settings:

    • Forensic psychiatric hospitals and state hospital forensic units
    • Jail and prison mental health services
    • Court-affiliated forensic clinics and pretrial evaluation services
    • Competency restoration and insanity evaluation programs
    • Community mental health agencies with forensic contracts
    • Private forensic practices consulting to defense, prosecution, or courts
    • Academic medical centers and teaching hospitals with forensic services
    • VA or DoD forensic mental health programs
Presented By

Terry Kukor, PhD, ABPP

Terry Kukor, Ph.D., ABPP, is board certified in forensic psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology. In late 2023 he retired from his salaried position at the Netcare Forensic Center in Columbus, Ohio, where he had held a variety of roles including Director of Forensic Services, Senior Forensic Psychologist, and Training Director for the Postdoctoral Fellowship in Forensic Psychology. He is now in independent practice. 

Dr. Kukor has specialized in criminal forensic evaluation for more than 30 years, and has performed or consulted on thousands of criminal forensic psychological evaluations. Dr. Kukor currently serves as an Associate Faculty in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at The Ohio State University. He is a past Co-Chair for the American Academy of Forensic Psychology CE Workshops. In 2016 he was presented the Howard H. Sokolov Forensic Mental Health Leadership Award by the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. In 2019 he was recognized with the Distinguished Contributions to Forensic Psychology Award by AAFP. Passionate about finding ways to improve forensic practice with critical thinking, Dr. Kukor conducts workshops on relevancy focused report writing, sanity evaluations, and critical thinking in forensic assessment.

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Practical assessment of the defendant’s understanding of the nature, quality, and wrongfulness of his/her behavior

  • Objective and subjective standards of moral wrongfulness

  • The evidentiary basis for inferences about the wrongfulness

  • Amnesia and sanity

  • Using collateral information

  • Psychological testing, insanity evaluations

  • Relationship between symptoms and mental state at the time of the alleged offense

  • Dealing with complications (e.g., denial of involvement in the alleged offense)

  • Accounting for contradictory data and formulating opinions

  • Malingering insanity evaluations

We are proud to partner with

American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP)

American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP)

We are proud to partner with the American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP) for this training. AAFP is a non-profit organization of board-certified forensic psychologists whose mission is to contribute to the development and maintenance of forensic psychology as a specialized field of study, research, and practice. The Academy does this by providing high-quality continuing education workshops, providing a forum for the exchange of scientific information among its members, and conferring awards upon outstanding students and practitioners in the field of forensic psychology.

Learn More About Our Partner

CE Sponsorship Information

Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by, recognized by, or maintains sponsorship provider status with the following boards and agencies. We maintain responsibility for all content in our CE/CPD programs. For more information, visit here. 

  1. American Psychological Association (APA): Approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists.

  2. Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): Approved continuing education provider (ACE program, Provider #1480), 11/22/2023–11/22/2026.

  3. Canadian Psychological Association (CPA): Approved to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.

  4. National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7190).


Sponsorship Approval Statements

Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7190. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Palo Alto University, #1480, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. Palo Alto University maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period 11/22/23-11/22/26. Social workers completing this course receive (clinical or social work ethics) continuing education credits. Continuing and Professional Studies, Palo Alto University, is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0103. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0356. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies, is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0073.