Is a psychologist eligible for prosecution if they accidentally underreport their service hours?

The stance that a psychologist is not eligible for prosecution if they accidentally underreport their service hours is grounded in the principle that criminal liability generally requires intent or knowledge of wrongdoing. In the case of unintentional underreporting, there is no malice or intent to deceive, which is a critical component of prosecutable offenses.

Under law, for prosecution to be warranted, it's essential for the actions to not only represent a violation of the law or professional standards but also to indicate that the individual had an intention to commit wrongdoing. Accidental errors typically fall under mistakes or negligence rather than criminal behavior.

In this context, if a psychologist mistakenly reports fewer service hours than actually provided without any malicious intent or knowledge of the error, they would not face prosecution, as their actions do not constitute a deliberate act of deception or fraud. Such mistaken reporting can often be rectified through professional review processes instead of legal action.