2.5 Hours / 2.5 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Insanity Evaluations: Advanced Applications is presented by Robert A. Schug, PhD.

This program is designed for experienced (advanced-level) forensic psychologists and psychiatrists who specialize in conducting court-appointed insanity evaluations. It is also suitable for other mental health professionals interested in insanity assessment, provided they have some prior experience in this field.

The psycho-legal question of insanity is one of the most challenging to address in forensic assessment, as understanding an individual’s mental state at the time of a criminal offense presents unique challenges, particularly when a period of time has passed between the offense and the evaluation.

This program presents advanced techniques and strategies in the assessment of insanity for the forensic evaluator, utilizing what the presenter refers to as a “researcher mentality.” Three primary sources of evaluation data are discussed, with an emphasis on psychological testing and less conventional, more “out-of-the-box” sources of collateral information. Advanced data analysis and integration, case conceptualization and formulation, report writing, courtroom testimony, and other important considerations are also discussed.

Learning Objectives

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

  • 1 Describe the conceptual and practical challenges of conducting insanity evaluations with an eye for addressing the specific criteria of insanity
  • 2 Describe robust sources of data for the insanity evaluation, with a focus on psychological testing and collateral data acquisition and analysis
  • 3 Describe evaluation data to a psycho-legal opinion regarding insanity
  • 4 Describe and defend insanity evaluation methodologies to triers-of-fact via courtroom testimony

  • Intended Audience

    This training is designed for mental health professionals who are involved in or seeking to advance their expertise in court-appointed insanity evaluations. The program is tailored for those specializing in forensic psychology or psychiatry, particularly with a focus on criminal responsibility assessments. Participants typically work in settings such as state hospitals, correctional facilities, court clinics, or private practices. The training is best suited for individuals who already have foundational experience in insanity evaluations and wish to deepen their knowledge and skills in this specialized area.

  • Experience Level

    This training is applicable for mid-career and experienced professionals with prior experience in conducting insanity evaluations.

  • Practice Setting

    • Forensic psychologists and psychiatrists specializing in criminal responsibility assessments

    • Mental health professionals (e.g., clinical psychologists, social workers) with an interest in insanity evaluations

    • Professionals working in:
        • -State hospitals
        -Correctional facilities
        -Court clinics
        -Private forensic practices

Presented By

Robert A. Schug, Ph.D., Neurocriminologist and Clinical Psychologist

Dr. Robert Schug is a neurocriminologist and clinical psychologist specializing in the biology and psychology of the criminal mind. Professor, forensic evaluator, and a true “criminal mind scientist,” his research focuses on understanding the relationship between extreme forms of psychopathology and antisocial, criminal, and violent behavior from a biopsychosocial perspective—with the application of advanced neuroscience techniques from areas such as neuropsychology, psychophysiology, and brain imaging. He received his original Ph.D. in Psychology (Clinical Neurosciences), along with a doctoral respecialization in Clinical Psychology and extensive clinical training as a Forensic Psychologist working with jail inmates, outpatient sex offenders on parole/Federal probation, as well as State hospital forensic psychiatric inpatients who have been found Incompetent to Stand Trial or Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity. A seasoned writer, Dr. Schug has published a leading textbook on mental illness and crime, along with numerous empirical articles related to psychopathy, schizophrenia, and homicide offenders in prominent psychiatric, psychological, personality assessment, criminal justice, and neuroscience journals. He has also authored and co-authored edited book chapters for several successful texts in forensic psychology, criminology, and the neurosciences. Additionally, he has established a one-of-a-kind university research study involving interviews and neurocognitive assessment of incarcerated serial killers, through which he has pioneered innovative biopsychosocial developmental timeline and sequencing approaches to the study of multiple homicide offenders, as well as a multilevel approach to the assessment of personalities associated with extreme and repetitive violence. Dr. Schug has extensive media experience and is often sought out by media outlets to provide expert commentary and insight in news stories involving cases of extreme violence. He has appeared on numerous episodes of true-crime television programs for major cable networks, and in interviews and documentary films which have aired worldwide. Dr. Schug is a licensed Clinical Psychologist and is on the Los Angeles Superior Court Approved Panel of Psychiatrists and Psychologists. He maintains a private practice that focuses on forensic assessment, and often conducts court-appointed evaluations in criminal cases within and outside of the State of California, along with providing expert witness testimony.

View More Programs from this Presenter
Robert A. Schug, Ph.D.

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Introductory Material
    -Statistics re: insanity plea
    -Challenges of insanity evaluations

  • Conceptual Issues (M’Naughten Standard)
    -Nature/quality of act
    -Wrongfulness

  • Adopting the “Researcher Mentality”

  • The Evaluation: Three Primary Sources of Data
    -A word on evaluation data: “Garbage in, garbage out…”
    -The Defendant
    -Clinical interviews
    -Observations
    -Psychological testing
    -Mental state at time of evaluation versus time of the offense
    -Performance in some testing domains (IQ) may be stable and reflect functioning at time of instant offense(s)
    -Applications of specific psychological tests/measures

  • Collateral Interviews
    -Collateral interview considerations and strategies.
    -Standardization of the collateral interview across interviewees.

  • Other Collateral Data (“The Big Three”)
    -Jail medical/mental health records

    -Content analysis approach and organization/representation of data
    -Comparative analysis between jail calls and clinical interviews
    -Creating a timeline/chronology of medical/MH record entries
    -Arrest/booking: Defendant observed by officers and jailers
    -Initial mental health screening in jail.
    -High observation housing (HOH) records (behavioral observations documented every 15 minutes)
    -Jail telephone calls
    
  -Police body-worn camera footage
    -Other sources
    -Social media (defendant, family, etc.)

  • Report Writing
    -Identifying poorly-written reports.
    -“Bad” reports do not link mental state to instant offense(s)
    -Producing effectively-written reports.
    -References, citations, and incorporating scientific literature.

  • Testimony and Other Considerations

  • Case Example(s)

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).



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) maintains responsibility for this program and its content. 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), SW CPE 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 and 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. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6811. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CONCEPT Professional Training, #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. CONCEPT Professional Training 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.