Meet
Doctor Robert Goldman…
Dr. Robert Goldman
Dr. Robert Goldman J.D., Psy.D. is the Supervising Psychologist of the Suffolk County Riverhead Jail (formerly supervising psychologist for the Suffolk County Probation Department). His work with the County is focused primarily on the juvenile offender population.
He is also a criminal attorney in private practice in Long Island, New York. He recently co-authored a book titled “No Room For Vengeance In Justice and Healing”.
His first professional experience out of law school was working for Manhattan Attorney Jack Littman as an associate in his criminal defense practice. He later worked for Suffolk County Legal Aid as a staff attorney in the Criminal Bureau. Dr. Goldman then started his own practice in which he engaged in various forms of litigation. He was subsequently appointed to be on the Law Guardian Panel, where he found his true passion in helping children. Consequently, he chose to attend Hofstra University where he received his doctorate in School/Community Psychology.
Dr. Goldman develops programs that combine his experience as a criminal defense attorney and as a psychologist with a goal aimed at reducing the rate of recidivism and placement. He continues to have a private practice in the area of law and has expanded his interests to include alternatives for dispute resolution.
In 2005, Suffolk County retained him to serve as the psychologist for the Suffolk County Department of Probation. In 2003, he developed the TASTE program, which he implemented in the Department. TASTE, which stands for Thinking Errors, Anger Management, Social Skills, and Talking Empathy, is now being used as a building block for future evidence-based interventions. Dr, Goldman has also spoken to the Suffolk County Legislature about the current restorative justice interventions in Suffolk County.
In its four short years, the program has proven so successful that the chief judge for Suffolk County’s family courts ordered it mandated for all juveniles sentenced to probation.
Dr. Goldman has written for the Suffolk County Bar Association about Restorative Justice and has held numerous conferences on the topic. He has also spoken to the Suffolk County Legislature about the current restorative justice interventions in Suffolk County.
In April, his TASTE program was the subject of a front-page article in The New York Law Journal.
Dr Goldman is founder of Psychological Restorative Solutions, Inc., an organization that assists parties who are embattled in a conflict have a meaningful dialogue with the hopes of reconciling their differences and moving forward.