Jews with Attitude
Inspired by Sherlock By Gloria Hammer
Alexander Millkey, the co-founder of Northwest Forensic Institute, LLC, was obsessed with Sherlock Holmes books as a kid. Maybe that is a clue into his chosen career as a forensic psychologist. He grew up in Atlanta, where he was raised “loosely Jewish” by his Jewish mother and non-practicing Catholic father. His mother’s family has lived in Georgia for generations, and the extended family would celebrate the Jewish holidays together. The following Q&A has been edited for brevity and clarity.
What led you to your profession? I think the seeds were planted when I was pretty young. My dad was an architect, and among other things, he built prisons and jails. When I was a kid, maybe 12, my dad went to rural Georgia to schmooze with a warden, whose approval was important for him to get a contract to build a prison. My mother and I went along to help forge a connection. We toured the prison and had dinner with the warden. The trustee who served us was very nice. He chatted with us. After the meal he poured me a hot chocolate and brought coffee for my parents. I liked him instantly. My dad made a comment about hiring the trustee when he got out of prison, and the warden, in thick Southern drawl, said, “He’s never getting out.” It turns out he had murdered his wife and boiled the body. I remember being stunned that a man who was so nice could have done something like that. A lot of my professional life has been oriented toward understanding these amazing discrepancies in human behavior.
“A lot of my professional life has been oriented toward understanding these amazing discrepancies in human behavior.” ~ Forensic Psychologist Alexander Millkey
My first thoughts of a forensic psychologist are from watching Netflix detective series. Is this close to what you do? The real work of a forensic psychologist is nowhere near as glamorous as that portrayed in television and movies! I’m a psychologist who specializes in diagnosis and understanding human behavior. My specialty is applying that knowledge to answer legal questions. The biggest part of my job is advising the court in sorting out mental health issues. The most common question I’m asked is probably whether a person is fit to stand trial. That means the court wants to know if because of a mental illness, a person can’t understand the
Northwest Forensic Institute: alexander.millkey@nwforensic.org 8 OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2016