Frequently Asked Questions

Legal aid funding is contingent on your unique individual circumstances. While legal aid may cover the cost of your assessment, we cannot guarantee there will be no cost to you, as legal aid can still seek to recover costs in the future. We facilitate the legal aid application process to help you access financial support. For private clients, costs vary depending on the complexity of the assessment and report requirements. Contact us for a detailed quote.

Legal Aid funding is contingent on your unique individual circumstances. While Legal Aid may cover the cost of a court-directed forensic psychology assessment, we cannot guarantee there will be no cost to you, as Legal Aid can still seek to recover costs in the future. We facilitate the Legal Aid application process to help you access financial support. Our forensic psychology services page explains the assessments we prepare for courts and the NZ Parole Board.

Contact us via email at [email protected] or call 021 910 007. We'll discuss your requirements and schedule the assessment at a convenient time.

Our staff work Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, except public holidays. For incarcerated individuals, assessments are conducted strictly via AVL (Audio Visual Link), which is constrained by Community Corrections business hours.

Yes. We provide AOD assessment services across New Zealand, including Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and remote/rural locations. AVL interviews are available for incarcerated clients.

Yes. We have access to a wide network of professional translators to remove language barriers and ensure clear communication throughout the assessment process. Our translation services include, but are not limited to:

• Te Reo Māori
• Punjabi
• Spanish
• Mandarin
• And many other languages

Please inform us of your language requirements when booking, and we will arrange appropriate translation support at no additional complexity to your assessment.

Yes. All assessments and reports are conducted in strict confidence in accordance with the Privacy Act 2020 and professional ethical standards. Reports are prepared specifically for the court or Parole Board.

The Legal Aid funding application process can take up to 3-4 weeks for approval. We recommend initiating this process as early as possible to avoid delays.

Report assessment and writing takes 10-15 business days from successful application or funding approval.

Yes. Sentencing reports are prepared to assist the court under the Sentencing Act 2002, including Section 27 cultural reports, and parole assessments respond to the Parole Act 2002. Each report explicitly addresses the statutory criteria the decision-maker must consider.

Absolutely. Email [email protected] or call 021 910 007 and a clinician will respond within one business day. Legal professionals can include the court date, charges and any existing reports so we can give specific, practical guidance from the first conversation.

The ideal timeframe is 6-8 weeks before your sentencing date. This allows sufficient time for assessment, report writing, and any necessary revisions. The Legal Aid funding application process can take up to 3-4 weeks for approval, so we recommend initiating this process as early as possible.

Assessments can be conducted in person or via AVL (Audio Visual Link) for incarcerated clients. The assessment typically takes 2-3 hours and covers AOD history, mental health, offense analysis, and treatment needs.

Outcomes are not guaranteed. A well-prepared pre-sentence report can identify mitigating factors, treatment needs, and rehabilitation potential that the court may consider in sentencing. However, the final decision rests entirely with judicial discretion, and no report can guarantee a specific outcome.

Pre-Sentence AOD reports are typically required for offenses punishable by imprisonment, especially when AOD issues, mental health factors, or complex personal circumstances are involved.

With client consent, we can involve family members or support people to provide additional context about background, relationships, and support systems.

Under the Sentencing Act 2002 the court must take account of all relevant information when determining a fit sentence, including specialist reports. Our reports make causative factors, treatment needs and realistic recommendations explicit for the judge.

A parole AOD report assesses an individual's substance use, treatment progress, and readiness for release. It provides the Parole Board with evidence-based recommendations regarding release conditions and monitoring requirements.

The ideal timeframe is 6 months out from your Parole Board appearance. This ensures adequate time for comprehensive assessment and report preparation. The Legal Aid funding application process can take up to 3-4 weeks for approval. Report assessment and writing takes 10-15 business days from successful funding approval.

Yes. We conduct assessments via AVL (Audio Visual Link) across 13 prison networks nationwide, or in-person visits can be arranged when required.

The Parole Board considers: treatment engagement, progress in addressing AOD issues, relapse risk, support networks, and proposed release conditions. The report demonstrates rehabilitation commitment.

Our reports are final and no addendums or updates will be submitted.

With client consent, family members can provide collateral information about support systems and relationships that will be important for successful reintegration.

Parole reports respond to the Parole Act 2002, including the matters the Board must consider when deciding release and conditions. Our reports address risk, rehabilitation progress and proposed release conditions in terms the Board can act on directly.

The Board applies the paramount consideration in the Parole Act 2002: the safety of the community. It weighs the risk posed by the offender, offending history, offence seriousness, behaviour in prison and rehabilitation progress, then decides whether release would create an undue risk. Expert reports directly shape that assessment.

A Section 27 report is prepared under the Sentencing Act 2002 and provides cultural context to an individual's background, identity, and factors contributing to offending. It's strengths-based and culturally responsive.

Cultural reports are specifically designed for sentencing proceedings under Section 27. For parole matters, cultural considerations are integrated into our AOD Reports and Risk Assessments.

We provide culturally responsive assessments for all cultural backgrounds, with particular expertise in Māori cultural contexts. Our assessors have te reo Māori capability and understanding of tikanga.

Outcomes are not guaranteed. Section 27 reports help the court understand cultural context and may identify alternative sentencing options that better address underlying issues and promote rehabilitation. However, the final decision rests entirely with judicial discretion, and no report can guarantee a specific outcome.

While not always mandatory, courts are required to consider cultural reports when the offender identifies as Māori or when cultural factors are relevant to the offending or rehabilitation.

Typically 2-3 weeks, including time for cultural consultation, whānau engagement, and appropriate cultural protocols.

Cultural reports consider whakapapa, cultural identity, intergenerational trauma, cultural context of offending, whānau dynamics, and culturally appropriate rehabilitation approaches.

Outcomes are not guaranteed. Cultural reports inform sentencing by highlighting mitigating factors and appropriate rehabilitation, but the final decision rests entirely with judicial discretion. Individual circumstances vary, and no report can guarantee a specific outcome.

Yes, whānau involvement is often essential for comprehensive cultural assessments and provides valuable context about family dynamics and support systems.

Section 27 of the Sentencing Act 2002 allows an offender to request that the court hear persons who can speak to the offender's personal, family, whānau, community and cultural background and how it relates to the offending We prepare these reports where directed, helping the court weigh background factors alongside the purposes and principles of sentencing.

An independent sentencing risk assessment is a comprehensive evaluation prepared by qualified professionals to provide objective, evidence-based analysis of risk factors, protective factors, treatment needs, and rehabilitation potential to assist judicial sentencing decisions.

Standard pre-sentence reports (PSRs) prepared by probation officers provide a factual summary of offending, background, and basic risk factors. Independent sentencing risk assessments offer deeper clinical formulation, validated psychometric testing, detailed risk analysis using structured professional judgment, and specific evidence-based treatment recommendations that carry greater weight in judicial decision-making.

While sentencing remains at judicial discretion, independent risk assessments may inform outcomes by documenting mitigating factors such as trauma history, cognitive impairment, or genuine treatment readiness. However, outcomes are not guaranteed, and no report can ensure a specific sentencing outcome. The final decision rests entirely with judicial discretion.

We employ a comprehensive battery including the MCMI-IV for personality assessment, VRS (Violence Risk Scale) for violence risk, LS/CMI for general offending risk, SAPROF for protective factors, and validated cognitive screening tools. All instruments are selected based on the individual case requirements and judicial context.

The ideal timeframe is 6-8 weeks before your sentencing date. This allows sufficient time for comprehensive assessment, report writing, and any necessary revisions. The Legal Aid funding application process can take up to 3-4 weeks for approval. Report assessment and writing takes 10-15 business days from successful funding approval.

A sentencing risk assessment provides structured professional judgement about reoffending risk, rehabilitation needs and community safety, supporting the court's task under the Sentencing Act 2002. It links causative factors to realistic treatment and supervision recommendations.

A full assessment typically takes two to four weeks, including records review, clinical interview and standardised risk instruments. Priority scheduling is available for imminent sentencing dates, and we can often complete urgent assessments within ten working days.

Participation is voluntary. However, declining to participate may mean the Parole Board has less information to consider your suitability for release, which could affect the outcome. We encourage engagement to ensure a comprehensive evaluation.

The report is prepared for the Parole Board, your legal representative, and relevant corrections staff. Under the Privacy Act 2020, you have the right to request access to information held about you. We discuss distribution with you before finalisation.

It is a specialist risk assessment that informs the NZ Parole Board about the likelihood of reoffending and the safety of release, prepared against the framework in the Parole Act 2002. It combines records review, clinical interview and structured professional judgement.

Defence counsel, Crown counsel and anyone preparing for a Parole Board hearing can commission an independent assessment. We work with legal aid providers, coordinate prison interviews through the correctional referral network, and can prioritise assessments for imminent hearing dates.

RoC*RoI (Risk of Reconviction × Risk of Imprisonment) is New Zealand Corrections' actuarial estimate of reconviction risk, normed on NZ offender data. It screens static historical factors, so it cannot capture rehabilitation. Our assessments pair it with structured professional judgement and dynamic tools the Board can act on.

Most assessments are completed within 4-6 weeks of referral, allowing time for records review, interview, collateral information and instrument scoring. Where a fixed hearing date applies, we confirm a delivery timeline at instruction — earlier referral means more assessment depth.

Courts can direct assessments at sentencing, the NZ Parole Board relies on risk assessments for release decisions, and Corrections commissions assessments for risk management. Defence counsel can also commission independent assessments for their clients, with Legal Aid funding facilitated where eligible.

We use validated instruments including the Violence Risk Scale (VRS) for dynamic risk and treatment change, RoC*RoI as New Zealand Corrections' actuarial estimate normed on local offender data, and the SAPROF for protective factors — combined through structured professional judgement. Instrument selection depends on the referral question and offending history.

It determines the likelihood, nature and severity of expected violence, the factors driving it (including alcohol and other drug use), and the conditions that manage it — expressed as risk level, scenarios and a management plan a court or the NZ Parole Board can apply.

Registered psychologists with forensic experience, regulated by the New Zealand Psychologists Board. At Precision AOD Solutions, risk assessments combine Board-registered psychologists with qualified AOD clinicians where substance factors are present.

Legal Aid funding is contingent on your unique individual circumstances. Where a court directs the assessment, Legal Aid may cover the cost; we facilitate the application process, noting that Legal Aid can still seek to recover costs in the future.

An S38 report is a medical or psychological assessment ordered under section 38 of the Criminal Procedure (Mentally Impaired Persons) Act 2003 when the court has doubt about a defendant's fitness to stand trial, or where the issue of insanity arises. It helps the court determine how the prosecution should proceed. Precision AOD Solutions does not undertake Section 38 fitness assessments — our guide to court reports in NZ explains how they differ from the sentencing and parole reports we prepare.

Clinical psychology focuses on treating health needs, while forensic psychology applies assessment to legal decision-making. Both are regulated scopes of practice under the New Zealand Psychologists Board. Forensic practitioners work to court and parole standards, addressing statutory questions such as risk, rehabilitation progress and release suitability.

The pathway starts with an accredited psychology degree and registration with the New Zealand Psychologists Board, usually via a clinical psychology training programme. Forensic skills are then built through supervised practice in corrections, forensic services or court-report work, with ongoing professional development in validated risk assessment. Our guides explain how reports are prepared.

Pay varies by sector. Public-sector psychologist roles follow Health New Zealand pay scales, while private and court-contracted work is typically fee-for-service. Court-funded reports are commonly covered by Legal Aid, so remuneration depends on report complexity, funding approval and practitioner experience rather than a single national rate.

We deliver forensic assessments nationwide from our Rotorua base, using secure Audio-Visual Link for prison and remote interviews alongside in-person sessions. The same validated instruments and documentation standards apply in every format, so reports remain court-ready regardless of where the client is located.

A forensic psychologist answers legal questions with psychological evidence — preparing risk assessments and court reports for sentencing and parole under frameworks such as the Sentencing Act 2002 and the Parole Act 2002, using validated instruments and structured professional judgement.

Yes. Psychologists practising forensically are registered with the New Zealand Psychologists Board and hold current Annual Practising Certificates. Our reports identify the author's registration and scope of practice.

Defence counsel, Crown counsel, courts, and anyone preparing for sentencing or a Parole Board hearing can commission an independent assessment. Legal Aid funding is facilitated on the client's behalf where eligible, and prison interviews are coordinated through secure AVL nationwide.

Pre-sentence reports are commonly prepared by the Probation Service, but courts can also receive independent psychological reports commissioned by counsel. Independent reports add clinical depth — validated risk formulation, AOD factors and treatment options — and are prepared to Sentencing Act 2002 criteria.

Send the legal context (court, charges, hearing date), the specific questions the report must answer, and available records such as the summary of facts and prior assessments. We confirm conflicts, funding pathway and delivery timeline before assessment begins — Legal Aid applications are facilitated on the client's behalf.

Defence counsel, Crown counsel and courts. Independent reports are commonly commissioned where counsel needs clinical depth beyond standard reports — validated risk formulation, AOD factors and treatment options — with Legal Aid funding facilitated where eligible.

The parties involved, the person to be assessed, the specific questions the report must answer, the hearing date, the documents provided, the funding pathway, and contact details for scheduling. Clear questions produce a report that maps directly to what the decision-maker must consider.

Yes. Courts can direct assessments under section 25 of the Sentencing Act 2002 for pre-sentence reports, and the NZ Parole Board relies on risk assessments prepared under the Parole Act 2002 for release decisions. Counsel can also commission independent assessments on behalf of clients, with Legal Aid funding facilitated where eligible.

For sentencing, instruct 6-8 weeks before the sentencing date. For Parole Board matters, refer around 6 months ahead. Legal Aid approval can take 3-4 weeks, and assessment with report writing typically takes 10-15 business days from funding approval.

Send a letter of instruction stating the parties, the questions to be answered, the hearing date, the documents provided and the funding pathway. We confirm conflicts and delivery timeline within one business day.

Legal Aid funding is contingent on your unique individual circumstances. Court-directed assessments are commonly covered; we facilitate the application, noting that Legal Aid can still seek to recover costs in the future.

The summary of facts, sentencing notes where available, prior psychological or medical assessments, and treatment records. More records at instruction means less delay during assessment.