Randy Otto, PhD, ABPP

Randy Otto has been a faculty member in the Department of Mental Health Law & Policy at the University of South Florida in Tampa since 1989. As part of his responsibilities at USF, Dr. Otto trains mental health professionals, attorneys, and judges on various matters regarding the intersection of the criminal justice and mental health systems. In addition to his work at USF, Dr. Otto has a practice that is limited to forensic psychological evaluation. He is board certified in forensic psychology and clinical psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology, and he is licensed to practice psychology in Florida and Hawaii.    Dr. Otto’s research and writing focus on forensic psychological assessment. He has authored or edited books on competence to proceed in the legal process, forensic psychological evaluation, expert testimony and report writing, violence risk assessment, mental health law, and forensic ethics. In 2008, work he completed with some of his colleagues on the topic of competence to proceed was cited by the US Supreme Court in the case of Indiana v. Edwards.    Dr. Otto has served as President of the American Psychology-Law Society, the American Board of Forensic Psychology, and the American Board of Professional Psychology Board of Trustees. He chaired the committee that revised the APA Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychology, he was Chair of APA’s Committee on Legal issues, and he also served on the American Bar Association Task Force that revised the ABA Criminal Justice Mental Health Standards.    Dr. Otto has received awards for his work from the Society for Personality Assessment, the American Academy of Forensic Psychology, the New York State Psychological Association, and the University of California-San Francisco.  Dr. Otto shares that his daughter is continually amazed that some are actually willing to pay to hear him speak when she regularly volunteers to pay to have him shut up. When not at work or with his wife and daughter, Dr. Otto is likely to be found at a poker table or on a motorcycle.