Most forensic audiology encounters are for industrial or civil medical-legal cases. However, criminal cases may occasionally require an expert witness in audiology to evaluate an inmate and provide a written or oral testimony. These cases involve defendants who are suspected to have hearing loss and for whom an audiological assessment is requested as a part of the defense attorney’s due diligence. Unlike civil cases, criminal cases present with several obstacles, and the jail system can be very intimidating and stressful—especially when the audiologist is not fully prepared for a difficult-to-test situation in an unfamiliar and potentially dangerous environment.
