A computerized assessment program for forensic science evaluations: a preliminary report.

The development of the innovative use of an on-line, computer-assisted evaluation program is discussed, with a brief review of pertinent literature. The particular applications within a forensic psychiatric center of the Tandem 16 computer system, utilizing both "canned psychological tests" and specialized assessment techniques, are examined and highlighted with a case vignette. A highly relevant problem within forensic psychiatry, malingering or exaggeration of symptoms, is examined in more detail as it relates to computer assessments. The advantages and limitations of a computer-assisted evaluation are described relative to both its clinical and research application.