PSYC 3210U Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Dentistry, Extraversion And Introversion, Canadian Psychological Association
Unit 2 - Introduction to Forensic Psychology
Forensic Psychology – Narrow Definition
• Professional practice of clinical psychology focusing on assessment and
treatment of individuals within a legal context
Forensic Psychology – Broad Definition
• Professional practice of clinical psychology focusing on assessment and
treatment of individuals within a legal context
• Research that examines aspects of human behaviour directly related to the
legal process
Roles of a Forensic Psychologist
• Clinical Forensic Psychologist
- Mental health issues pertaining to legal system
- Qualifications
➢ Graduate degree
➢ Registered with professional organization
- PHD & 5-7 years of training
• Experimental Forensic Psychologist
- Research related to legal system
- Qualifications
➢ Graduate degree with research focused on a forensic psychological
issue
- Ex. Developing a treatment program
• Legal Scholar
- Focus on mental health law, policy analysis, legislative consultations
- Qualifications
➢ Graduate degree with research focused on a forensic legal issue
Relationship Between Psychology and the Law
• Psychology in the law
- The use of psychology within the legal system
- Ex. Police officer uses open-ended questions when interviewing a child
victim
• Psychology and the law
- The use of psychology to study the law and the legal system
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- Ex. Researching the risk factors predictive of sexual recidivism
• Psychology of the law
- The use of psychology to study the law itself
- Ex. How much discretion should judges have when sentencing?
5 Major Areas of Forensic Psychology
• Police Psychology = police officers who have experienced trauma
• Psychology of Delinquency and Crime = why do individuals commit crime
• Victimology and Victim Services = individuals who have been victimized
(long term affects)
• Legal Psychology = issues in the courtroom (eye witness testimony)
• Correctional Psychology = assessing individuals in a correctional system
before release and providing help
Difference Between Forensic Psychiatrist and Forensic Psychology:
Psychiatrist
Psychology
• Trained to assess/ treat mental
health
• Trained to assess/ treat mental
health
• Does more research
• Does research but not as much
• Psychological model
• Medical doctors
• Can prescribe medication
Other Forensic Disciplines:
• Forensic Entomologist = Insects at crime scenes
• Forensic Artist = facial composites, age progression
• Forensic Chemist = analyzes blood, paint chips, hair samples
• Forensic Anthropologist = examine bones
• Forensic Linguist = examine words (ex. Suicide notes)
• Forensic Pathologist = examine autopsies
• Forensic Odontologist = study dental records (ex. Bite marks)
Myths and Realities
• Modern police interrogation techniques can result in false confessions
- Yes, it is possible for someone to confess to a serious crime
- Use of psychological coercive techniques increase the likelihood of false
confessions
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• Eyewitnesses can easily identify the suspect from police lineups
- Witnesses often make mistakes when identifying suspects from a police
lineup
- Inaccurate eyewitness identifications are the leading cause of wrongful
convictions
• Police officers are good at detecting deception
- Police think they are good at detecting lies
- Police often use the wrong cues and are no more better than chance
• It is possible to commit a murder while sleep walking
- It is possible to do complex activities (e.g., cooking a meal, driving)
- If you commit a crime while sleep walking you can plead automatism
• All psychopaths are violent
- Many psychopaths are violent
- Some are never violent. They use charm or deceit to get what they want
• “e offeder treatet does’t ork
- Certain types of treatment are effective at reducing recidivism in sex
offenders
- Cognitive-behavioural treatment programs are the most effective
• We can predict who will become a serial killer
- Predicting rare events such as who will become a serial killer is not
possible
History of Forensic Psychology
Origin
• Forensic = Lati foresis
• Meas of the foru
- The ancient roman forum where citizens came to resolve disputes
Historical Highlights- Expert testimony
• 1896: Albert von Schrenck-Notzing
- German pshologist used as epert i ourt
➢ Hired by a defense team
- Examined role of media and suggestion
- Used: Retroactive memory-falsifiatio
➢ Witnesses should not be believed because their memories had been
distorted
• 1911: Julian Varendonck
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Forensic psychology narrow definition: professional practice of clinical psychology focusing on assessment and treatment of individuals within a legal context. Forensic psychology broad definition: professional practice of clinical psychology focusing on assessment and treatment of individuals within a legal context, research that examines aspects of human behaviour directly related to the legal process. Roles of a forensic psychologist: clinical forensic psychologist. Mental health issues pertaining to legal system. Phd & 5-7 years of training: experimental forensic psychologist. Graduate degree with research focused on a forensic psychological issue. Focus on mental health law, policy analysis, legislative consultations. Graduate degree with research focused on a forensic legal issue. Relationship between psychology and the law: psychology in the law. The use of psychology within the legal system. Police officer uses open-ended questions when interviewing a child victim: psychology and the law. The use of psychology to study the law and the legal system.
