Dr. Kiehl is an author and neuroscientist who specializes in the use of clinical brain imaging techniques to understand major mental illnesses, with special focus on criminal psychopathy, psychotic disorders (i.e., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, affective disorders), traumatic brain injury, substance abuse and paraphilias.

Dr. Kiehl designed the one-of-a-kind Mind Mobile MRI System  to conduct research and treatment studies with forensic populations. To date his laboratory has deployed the Mind Mobile MRI System to collect brain imaging data from over 3000 offenders at eight different facilities in two states. This represents the world’s largest forensic neuroscience repository.

Dr. Kiehl lectures extensively to state and federal judges, lawyers, probation officers, correctional officials, academic audiences and the public about the intersection of neuroscience and law and psychopaths and the law. In the last several years he has worked with the Federal Judicial Center (FJC) to develop the educational curriculum for federal judges on neuroscience in the courtroom. Dr. Kiehl recently co-edited with Dr. Walter Sinnott-Armstrong a Handbook on Psychopathy and Law (2013; Oxford Press).

Dr. Kiehl also serves as a legal consultant on criminal and civil cases involving neuroscience and law.  He recently formed a neuroscience and law consulting group, known as MINDSET, to aid lawyers and judges in the appropriate use (and misuse) of neuroscience in the courtroom.

Dr. Kiehl’s research has been featured prominently in film and print media.  Some examples include:

“Suffering Souls” by John Seabrook, New Yorker, November 10, 2008, pages 64-73.

“Investigating the Psychopathic Mind.” by Greg Miller, Science, September 5, 2008, 321, 1284-1286.

“A Mind of Crime” (Lead cover article) by Michael Haederle, Miller-McCune, February 23, 2010,

“Brain scans predict which criminals are most likely to reoffend.” By Greg Miller, Wired Magazine.

“Brain scans predict who’s likely to be a repeat offender.”  NPR Morning Edition with host David Greene.

Contact information:

The Mind Research Network
1101 Yale Blvd. NE
Albuquerque, NM 87106
E-mail: kkiehl@mrn.org
Phone: 505.925.4516