Robert Lehmann (psychologist)

Life and career

Early life and education

Lehmann studied psychology at the Technische Universität Berlin. He later pursued advanced training in forensic psychology and quantitative methods at the University of Liverpool. In 2012, he volunteered with the Government of Canada under the supervision of forensic psychologist R. Karl Hanson, working on projects related to sexual offender risk assessment.

Academic career

Lehmann currently serves as a professor at MSB Medical School Berlin, where his research and teaching focus on behavioral analysis, forensic and criminal psychology, risk assessment, and quantitative/statistical methods applied to behavioral science.

He collaborates with practitioners and researchers across clinical, correctional, and community-based settings to better understand and prevent sexual and violent offending.

Research interests

Lehmann’s research has covered a variety of areas within forensic psychology, with a particular focus on high-risk or highly stigmatized populations. His primary research areas include:

• Risk-assessment and recidivism of violent and sexually deviant offenders.
• Non-violent and violent behaviors related to the possession of child sexual exploitation materials, with particular attention to online offending, mixed (online/offline) offending, offender typologies, associated risk factors, and preventative strategies.
• Public perceptions and stigma surrounding adults with sexual interests in children who do not engage in offending behaviors, including the development of prevention-oriented mental-health support options for such individuals.
• The development and evaluation of forensic assessment tools, such as reaction-time measures, structured risk-assessment instruments, and other metrics used to evaluate offense-related behaviors.

Taken together, Lehmann’s work advances scientific knowledge of sexual offending while informing practical approaches to prevention and risk reduction in both clinical and forensic contexts.

Ethics and social context

Because much of Lehmann’s research deals with deeply sensitive and socially stigmatized issues — including sexual interest in minors, CSAM, and criminal offending — his work is often subject to intense ethical scrutiny and public debate. In his publications, he seeks to advance evidence-based risk assessment, prevention, and support strategies while acknowledging the complex moral, social, and legal dimensions of this field.

External identifiers and profiles

• ORCID: 0000-0003-1710-348X
• Professional profile at ResearchGate, including list of publications and academic collaborations.