FAME. FORENSIC EXPERT PSYCHOLOGICAL SYSTEM

Forensic psychological expertise differs from consultative psychological work primarily in its requirements for methodological transparency and reproducibility. An expert conclusion must be understandable not only to specialists but to the court, which is not required to hold psychological training.

Four required elements

The FAME methodology structures an expert conclusion around four sequential elements:

• Question — a precise formulation of the expert task set by the court or investigation.
• Assessment methods — the list and justification of the psychodiagnostic methods applied.
• Psychological problem — a substantive analysis of the data obtained.
• Meaning of the expert conclusion — how the findings relate to the original question.

Why this matters?

This structure protects both the specialist and the parties to the proceedings: the conclusion becomes verifiable rather than resting on the expert's authority alone. This is especially important in cases where a psychological assessment can significantly influence the court's decision.

All examples and cases presented within this direction are anonymized and intended solely for educational purposes.