| If you have been arrested for DUI, chances are that | | | | make powerful and very credible witnesses in DUI |
| you need a court-ordered Alcohol Assessment or | | | | cases. |
| evaluation. A question you might be asking is, where | | | | The key is EXPERTISE and that comes with the |
| do I get it? Should I find an evaluator who is a | | | | psychologists highly respected professional degree, |
| credentialed doctoral-level psychologist who | | | | education and experience. There are many |
| specializes in clinical assessments related to alcohol | | | | counselor-types who do DUI assessments and |
| and substance abuse, or should I, on the other hand, | | | | evaluations. |
| allow a lower level credentialed paraprofessional to do | | | | The only way for you to tell which professionals are |
| it. | | | | experts and will powerfully influence the court, rather |
| It is very important to always have the most highly | | | | than just be run-of-the-mill or mediocre, is to know if |
| credentialed and qualified professional do your | | | | they are fully qualified, licensed psychologists with |
| assessment. It is in your best interest to use a clinical | | | | substantial experience in working with DUI and |
| psychologist who is highly trained and concentrates in | | | | court-ordered cases. |
| the assessment of DUI and substance abuse cases. | | | | Psychologists have doctoral degrees, are highly trained |
| It is important because these doctoral-level | | | | in the scientific basis of assessments, have usually |
| psychologists have focused much of their time on | | | | done an abundance of them and consequently are |
| doing state-of-the-art DUI assessments and are not | | | | highly respected by judges and the courts. Because |
| just lower-level paraprofessionals with just a few | | | | reports by psychologists are so highly respected, if |
| years training and experience. This is to your benefit | | | | your attorney is highly skilled, he or she will be able to |
| because it means that it is likely that the court will have | | | | use the assessment findings to get the very best legal |
| much more confidence in their findings. | | | | outcome for you. |
| Find the most highly trained and respected specialist | | | | Some judges and attorneys do not have a clue as to |
| when needing a DUI or other substance-abuse | | | | how to evaluate the seriousness of an alcohol problem |
| evaluation. A masters-level counselor is more of a DUI | | | | or what to do about it, besides throw the book at you. |
| assessment technician; not a highly qualified | | | | Consequently, an expert DUI assessment may make it |
| doctoral-level psychologist. | | | | possible for you to get a legal sanction that is |
| The psychologist doing your DUI evaluation will have | | | | significantly reduced and one which makes much more |
| approximately 8 years of college and graduate school | | | | sense, psychologically. |
| training in doing testing, assessments and evaluations, | | | | Since you want an evaluation that will have the best |
| while a DUI paraprofessional may have only 2 to 5 | | | | impact on the court, it is all about getting the most |
| years of limited training. The doctoral-level psychologist | | | | respected and the most highly educated professional |
| will have greater expertise in administering and | | | | to do it. Make no mistake: It is best to get a seasoned |
| interpreting the tests and in providing a powerful report | | | | clinical psychologist who is experienced in DUI cases. |
| to your attorney and the court. Psychologists can | | | | |