PSY 368 - Section 1 (What is Forensic Psychology)

Civil Forensic Psychology

Concerned with private rights and remedies. Consists of a wrongful act that causes harm to an individual. Conducts assessments and provides treatment on psycho-legal questions/issues.(private)

Define Correctional Psychology

Correctional psychology is a subfield of psychology in which basic and applied psychological science or scientifically oriented professional practice is applied to the justice system to inform the classification, treatment, and management of offenders to reduce risk and improve public safety

Social Psychologists in Forensic Psychology

Experimental research to understand how the racial composition of small groups affects group decision making (could be applied to understand jury decision making). Used to inform a judge's adjudication of an appeal claiming that a particular racially imbalanced jury was unfairly biased against a defendant.

Cognitive Psychologist in Forensic Psychology

Experimental research to understand people's abilities to recognize objects and faces during stress (could be applied to eyewitness credibility). Used to inform a jury's decisions about the credibility of a particular eyewitness's identification of a defendant.

Developmental Psychologist in Forensic Psychology

Experimental research to understand under what conditions(and at what age) children make things up and can distinguish fact from fantasy (could be applied to allegations of childhood abuse). Assist a judge's determination of the veracity of a particular child's allegation of sexual abuse in the context of a divorce proceeding.

Examples of Criminal Forensic Psychology

Determining competency to stand trial, insanity, expert witnesses bias, mental illness and violence risk, and restoration of competency to stand trial

Difference between forensic and correctional psychology

Difference lies within the timing and purpose of the activity. If needed to inform a pending legal decision or research needs to be conducted to answer questions, it would be forensic. If needed for offender classification, case management, release decision-making post adjudication, or research to reduce offender risk/improve public safety, it would be correctional.

Examples of Civil Forensic Psychology

Parenting capacity, therapy to process trauma, reduce PTSD severity after an accident someone else caused (was liable for).

Major roles for psychologists interested in forensic psychology

Scientific research, assessment(evaluation), and treatment

What does a correctional psychologist do?

Involved typically post adjudication(conducting research on the psychological effects of prison or probation conditions; treating prison inmates; etc). These activities could also be conducted preadjudication, but they would not be correctional if conducted to inform a legal decision.

What does the word "forensic" mean? What is its etymology (origin)?

The word "forensic" originated from the Latin word "forensis" which means "of the forum" and was used to describe a location in ancient Rome. The Forum was the location where citizens resolved disputes.

Binding

Something must be followed legally in a given jurisdiction

Criminal Profiling

The process by which characteristics of a crime and crime scene are collected and systematically organized to narrow down the potential suspects. Part of crime action profiling involves examining the process and practice of profiling

What do forensic psychologists do?

helps judicial, administrative, and educational systems make decisions about people when some question related to psychology is involved in the legal issue.

Clinical Psychologists in Forensic Psychology

Providing clinical services to help the law answer particular legal questions in cases. Experimental research to understand how people try to malinger mental illness (could be used for diagnostic decision making). Helps to inform a judge's determination of whether that defendant is competent to stand trial.

Similarities and differences between forensic psychology and forensic psychiatry.

Psychiatrists are medical doctors who are licensed to prescribe medication. Psychologists are focused on the psychological assessment and treatment of the mentally ill. However, both trained to assist individuals with mental illness and emotional difficulties.

Why is the syllabus "cartoon" relevant to understanding forensic psychology?

Public misunderstands forensic psychology. Media misrepresents its true scientific base

The problems with media depiction of and public perception of forensic psychology

They portray limited aspects of forensic psychology that tantalize the public. Gives inaccurate impressions of forensic psychology.

Define Forensic Psychology

A sub-field of psychology in which basic and applied psychological science or scientifically-oriented professional practice is applied to the law to help resolve legal, contractual, or administrative matters (forensic Psychology is part of the broad field of psychology - law)

Criminal Forensic Psychology

Focuses on acts against society and to punish offenders in order to maintain a societal sense of justice and deter crime. It conducts assessments and provides treatment on psycho-legal questions/issues. (public)

Statutory Law

Law created by federal/state legislatures

Similarities between forensic and correctional psychology

Related by their historical roots, involvement in the justice system, and the shared population of people they study and serve