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FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY AND POLICE:Violent Criminals

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Forensic Psychology (PSY - 513)
VU
Lesson 03
FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY AND POLICE
Few topics from previous lecture
Violent Criminals
A violent criminal is about to be released upon completing his sentence. How can the psychologist help
ensure he would not re-offend? The role of Forensic psychologist is again very critical as homicide is a
tragedy which doesn't always begin with the offender. Young offenders often come from broken homes
and turbulent childhoods. Some are victims of abuse and many grow up using the survival instincts they
learn on the streets. A psychologist must take these factors into consideration when dealing with
violence, because execution of criminals clearly does not address the source of the problem.
Forensic psychologists are increasingly being called on to evaluate sex offenders in both the civil and
criminal arenas. Evaluations typically focus on understanding the offender's psychopathology,
establishing treatment and management needs, and/or predicting the likelihood that the individual will
not re-offend. So, a psychologist can help a criminal to become a better person by taking into account
multiple dimensions and factors.
Offenders with MR/LD
What should the legal system do with offenders with a low IQ?
Forensic psychologist can help to deal with these types of questions. Psychologists apply psychological
principals to plan for the effective treatment, whether within the community or in imprisonment, of
persons with combinations of low IQ, substance abuse, and mental health problems.
Risk Assessment
What is risk assessment?
"Risk assessment is a step in the risk management process. Risk assessment is measuring two quantities
of the risk, the magnitude of the potential loss, and the probability that the loss will re-occur."
Suppose we are going to allow a serial rapist to walk free after he has finished his jail sentence. How
can psychologists help us in this situation? An area that is in particular demand at present involves
violence risk assessment. Forensic psychologists provide valuable expertise to other practitioners,
agencies, and the legal system regarding assessing risk of violence. This involves not only providing
risk assessments, but also consulting on the appropriate use of specialized tests and actuarial
instruments. With increasing public concern about school shootings, workplace violence, and sex
offending, there is increasing demand for clarity about the reliability, validity, and generalizability of
proposed instruments.
Risk assessment is fundamental to the criminal justice process because it is a means for distinguishing
between offenders who are likely to re-offend and those who are at a lower risk for recidivism (Solicitor
General Canada, 1998a).
There has been a lot of controversy about the accuracy of risk assessments. Risk assessments are
essentially predictions of future behaviour and are subject to error. The result of a risk assessment has
serious implications for both the assessed individual and society. For the individual offender, the
assessment will decide his or her freedom; for society, it may determine whether a potentially dangerous
person will be released into the community. The community requires protection, but at what expense?
Clearly, risk prediction has a place in the justice process, but predictions cannot be taken as fact.
Unfortunately, the error inherent in the risk prediction process often results in longer periods of
imprisonment for certain offenders who are found to be high-risk, but who, when released, do not
commit further crimes.
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Forensic Psychology (PSY - 513)
VU
Importance of risk assessment
"Risk assessment is such a rich and important factor to consider that failure to reflect on it may
constitute professional negligence. Through risk assessment we will have an idea of how likely the
person is to re-offend. The development of assessment methods in this area has focused primarily on:
Identifying various types of offenders
Discovering their special characteristics to improve treatment efforts
Assessing treatment progress
Evaluating risk of future re-offending when discharge from treatment programs
Assessment in this area can employ some of the general risk assessment factors discussed earlier, but it
also requires additional factors as well as special attention to specific diagnostic features of youthful sex
offenders (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 1999). That is why a good risk
assessment should also attend to external factors that may increase the likelihood that violent acts may
occur among youths who are high in other risk factors (e.g., the availability of weapons, the accessibility
of a specific person with whom a youth may be in conflict).
POLICE PSYCHOLOGY
Objectives:
To understand the relationship of police and Forensic Psychology
To understand the Low IQ issue of police force
To discuss the use of different psychological tests for screening in and screening out
Relationship of police and Forensic Psychology
Whenever the distinctive phrase "police psychology" is used, it is usually by people like Bartol (1996;
2004) and others (Chandler 1990) who are recognizing the pioneer Dr. Martin Reiser (Reiser 1972;
1982; Reiser & Klyver 1987) as America's first police psychologist, and who was hired by the LAPD
full-time in 1968. Other psychologists may have worked with police before Reiser's time, but records of
their contributions have been lost in history and/or they were most likely part-time consultants.
Policing is the central topic of forensic psychology because Forensic psychology is relevant to law and
police works as a law enforcement department. Do not misinterpret that police and forensic psychology
both deal with criminals that is why both fields are relevant but this bond becomes even stronger
because of the stressful nature of police job, now let's see how forensic psychologist can help police to
perform better.
Stressful nature of job
There has been a lot of research on the negative effects of stress on people in general. Surely you know
that police work is one of the top rated professions for job stress next to air traffic controllers and
dentists. Forensic Psychologists help the police men to come out of the stress and assist departments
with optimal shift schedules, pre-employment screening tests, developing profiles of serial offenders,
and training in how to deal with the mentally ill, and provision of counseling services. We will discuss
in detail police stress and strategies to cope with stress in next lectures.
Police and Intelligence Quotients
To understand the IQ scoring first understand what is meant by different IQ scores.
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Forensic Psychology (PSY - 513)
VU
Descriptive Classifications of Intelligence Quotients
Police has low IQ , To understand this issue in 1917 Louis Terman gave IQ tests to a large number of
police applicants and found that only three
IQ
Description
candidates scored over 100, that is the average IQ
score. So, he concluded that police attracted people
130+
Very superior
with low IQ and support people only who have low
intelligence.
120-129
Superior
Another Test: Same Score
In 1922 Louis Thurstone administered the Army  110-119
High average
Intelligence Test (Alpha) to 358 police officers of
different ranks in Detroit and founded that all were  90-109
Average
below average and average of 307 patrol officers
80-89
Low average
was 71.44 .the score of 34 sergeants was 54.71 and
17 lieutenants scored 57.80. Now this clearly shows
70-79
Borderline
that an immense number of police score is falling
into the mental retardation category. So, another test  Below 70
Extremely low
administered to police force confirmed the findings
of Louis Terman's findings. On the other hand the
intelligence average score of 1.5 million army recruits was 100.then the following question emerged.
What causes low IQ in police?
Why would intelligent people avoid joining police department? So, Thurstone concluded that there is a
fundamental problem in terms of how police and intelligent people deal with each other, police did not
support people with High IQ levels and if some people with high IQ join police leave afterwards and
join for other professions where intelligence is valued more.
Many factors are involved in it
People with high IQ were not valued by the police
Early socialization into police
Home situations
Socio-economic status
An Exception
But in (1927) Maude Merrill tested Palo Alto Police in California interviewed and assessed the
policemen and founded that policemen average IQ Score is 104, those with over 2 years experience
averaged 143. Now 143 is the IQ score of very superior and genius people then question comes into our
mind that what made this possible?
Education: Key to Success
Poland (1978) reviewed the literature on police and intelligence scores and concluded that education is
the basic key to success and recruiting people with higher education means more intelligent policing.
Our religion also teaches us the importance of knowledge. We do not say that we need P.hd policemen
but at least we need reasonably educated police officers with average IQ for better performance of this
very important department of our country.
US recommendations
Now let's see how US has modified the police structure, training, recruitment in line with the
recommendations of psychologists and research done in this area.
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Forensic Psychology (PSY - 513)
VU
Recommendations:
A US committee gave following recommendations for the improvement of police department:
·  Tests of mental ability or aptitude should be used while recruiting
·  An oral psychiatric interview
·  A Physical exam
·  A Psychological Exam
·  An in-depth background investigation
Psychological Exam should
·  Include evaluation of intellectual capacity
·  Include evaluation of emotional stability (as an emotionally unstable person can not prove to be
a good policeman)
·  Include assessment of personality characteristics
Change of US police department over past few decades
US police in 1960s
Narrol & Levitt in the 1960's founded that police was being tested to assess whether they have aptitude
to become police officer means are they street smart? Or not but US recommendations were not being
followed about emotional stability and personality characteristics.
US police in1970s
Police changed in the light of psychologist's recommendations. Many large police departments in the
USA were using standardized personality inventories.
Standardized personality inventories are those psychological tests that are applicable to every one and
intend to assess personality.
Over 48 % were using Minnesota Multi-Phasic Personality Inventory MMPI in 1970s.
US police in 2003
Cochrane,Tett & VandeCreek (2003) surveyed 155 municipal police departments. situation was
totally transformed as:
91% were using personality measures
71.6%were using MMPI
24.5%were using CPI
18.7% were using 16 PF
11.6% were using IPI
Other tests were also being used such as PAI
Use of different psychological tests was quite frequent.
The oldest known usage of psychology in policing was for mental testing, which was soon followed by
personality testing (Bartol & Bartol 2004). During the early 20th Century, several prominent
psychologists tested the intelligence of police officers. For example the work of following
psychologists:
Louis Terman (1917)
Louis Thurstone (1922)
Poland (1978)
Rationale of using personality inventories
The basic reason behind using personality inventory is to find the person who is fit for police job and for
those who are on duty whether they are fit for duty or not.
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Forensic Psychology (PSY - 513)
VU
Major aspects of personality assessment
1. screening in
2. Screening out
Screening in
Means searching for the person who is fit for the job and looking for a police personality, looking
for traits, habits, reactions and attitudes of an ideal police officer. So, once desired traits have been
identified tests are employed to find the matching personalities but the basic problem is individual
differences. May be two very different personality type officers would show excellent performance
and two identical personalities may show totally opposite behaviour. The Idea of Screening in was a
complete lost cause, because many different kinds of people make very good police officers and
consequently, screening in is not a pursuable goal.
Screening out
Screening out: the use of psychological tests to identify pathological personalities or people
unsuitable for policing is a reasonable objective. Use of MMPI can help screen out people with
pathology. Identify and exclude those people who should not join to this department.
Frequently used personality inventories
1. MMPI
2. IPI
MMPI (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory)
The MMPI, a standardized questionnaire developed at the University of Minnesota in 1940, is one
of the most popular clinical psychology personality inventories in use today, almost 70% police
psychologists are administering this test to identify the pathological personalities. There are
currently 567 items on the test. The scoring generate six validity scales and 10 basic clinical or
personality scales. The latter are, in order, as follows: Hypochondriasis, Depression, Hysteria,
Psychopathic  Deviate,  Masculinity-Femininity,  Paranoia,  Psychasthenia,  Schizophrenia,
Hypomania, and Social Introversion.
Limitations
When we use MMPI for police screening out, few limitations are face like
Use of MMPI can help screen out people with pathology
Is not necessarily a good predictor of police performance
IPI (Inwald Personality Inventory)
The Inwald Personality Inventory (IPI) is a 310 question "true-false" inventory and comparatively
designed to identify a variety of personality and behavioral characteristics. It was specifically
developed for selection of law enforcement personnel. It is specifically design and used to screen
applicants for high-risk positions such as police candidates. This assessment, or test, was developed
in response to the requirements of the public safety/law enforcement selection process. The Inwald
Personality Inventory (IPI) is a 310 item True/False questionnaire and has 26 scales. It has a better
Face validity; it is concerned with how a measure or procedure appears. Does it seem like a
reasonable way to gain the information the researchers are attempting to obtain? Does it seem well
designed? Does it seem as though it will work reliably.
Policing has improved significantly in last century in the light of psychologist's recommendations
that were made on the basis of research work, interviews and assessments. Let's hope to install
these progressive steps in Pakistan as well.
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Table of Contents:
  1. INTRODUCTION TO FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY:Future of Forensic Psychology
  2. INTRODUCTION TO FORENSIC PSYCHOOGY:Way of police investigation
  3. FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY AND POLICE:Violent Criminals
  4. POLICE PSYCHOLOGY:Use of excessive force, Corruption, Personnel Selection
  5. POLICE PSYCHOLOGY:Fitness-for-Duty Evaluation (FFDE), False Confessions
  6. INVESTIGATIVE PSYCHOLOGY:For instance, Empirical and logical approach
  7. INVESTIGATIVE PSYCHOLOGY:Crime Scene Investigation, Staging
  8. PSYCHOLOGY OF VIOLENCE:Law of Conservation of Energy, Super ego
  9. PSYCHOANALYTIC MODEL AND VIOLENCE:Fixation at Oral Stage
  10. PSYCHOANALYTIC MODEL AND VIOLENCE:Defense Mechanism, Rationalization
  11. JUNGIAN PSYCHOLOGY AND VIOLENCE:Freudian Methods, JUNGIAN PSYCHOLOGY
  12. JUNGIAN PSYCHOLOGY AND VIOLENCE:Religion and mental illnesses
  13. BEHAVIORIST PERSPECTIVE AND VIOLENCE:Shadow’s violence, Child’s violence
  14. BEHAVIORIST PERSPECTIVE AND VIOLENCE:Operant Conditioning
  15. BEHAVIORIST PERSPECTIVE AND VIOLENCE:Schedules of Punishment
  16. SOCIAL LEARNING MODEL AND VIOLENCE:Observational learning, Vicarious punishment
  17. MORAL DEVELOPMENT AND VIOLENCE:Symbolic functioning, Formal operational stage
  18. BIO-PSYCHO-SOCIAL MODEL:Mental hospitals are factories of abuse
  19. ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE ABOUT VIOLENCE:Morality is essential
  20. ISLAMIC MODEL:Nafs al-Ammara, Nafs al-Lawwama, Nafs ul Naatiqa
  21. TREATMENTS FOR THE SOUL:Tawba, Sabr o Shukr, Niyyat o Ikhlaas, Taffakkur
  22. CRIMINOGENIC PERSONALITY:Personality Disorders, Common Crimes
  23. CRIMINOGENIC PERSONALITY AND VIOLENCE:Mnemonic, Similarities
  24. CRIMINOGENIC PERSONALITY AND VIOLENCE:Terrorism and Psychopaths
  25. LEARNING DISABILITIES/MENTAL RETARDATION AND VIOLENCE
  26. ASSESSMENT OF PERSONALITY DISORDERS:Reasons for referral, Personality Inventories
  27. ASSESSMENT OF PERSONALITY DISORDERS:Different cutoff scores
  28. RISK ASSESSMENT:Violence reduction scale, Stability of Family upbringing
  29. TREATMENT OF VIOLENT BEHAVIOR / PERSONALITY PSYCHODYNAMIC PSYCHOTHERAPY
  30. JUNGINA THERAPEUTIC MODEL:Limits of re-parenting, Personality Typologies
  31. GROUP THERAPY FOR OFFENDERS:Learning in Groups, Humanistic Groups
  32. PSYCHOTHERAPIES IN FORENSIC SETTINGS:Narrative Therapy
  33. PSYCHOTHERAPIES IN FORENSIC SETTINGS:Solution Focused Therapy
  34. PSYCHOTHERAPIES IN FORENSIC SETTINGS:Avoiding reactance, Externalization
  35. PSYCHOTHERAPY IN FORENSIC SETTINGS AND SPECIAL CHALLENGES
  36. FORENSIC PSYCHOTHERAPY:Exploring therapeutic alliance, Music Therapy
  37. VIOLENCE REDUCTION PROGRAM:Target Population, Lack of motivation
  38. VIOLENCE REDUCTION PROGRAM:Criminal attitude, Interpersonal Aggression
  39. VICTIM SUPPORT:Main features of PTSD, Emotional Support
  40. VICTIM SUPPORT:Debriefing, Desensitization, Eidetic Therapy, Narrative Therapy
  41. SUBSTANCE MISUSE TREATMENT PROGRAM:Marijuana, Unconventional drugs
  42. SUBSTANCE MISUSE TREATMENT PROGRAM:Stages of Change, Homosexuality
  43. EXPERT WITNESS:Insanity Pleas, Sexual Offence Risk, Instructions
  44. COUNTER TERRORISM:Misconceptions, Psychologists & Propaganda war
  45. SUMMING UP FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY:Problems with Risk Assessment, Expert Witness