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INTRODUCTION TO FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY:Future of Forensic Psychology

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Forensic Psychology (PSY - 513)
VU
Lesson 01
INTRODUCTION TO FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY
Objectives:
1. To introduce the field of Forensic Psychology.
2. To understand the nature of work of forensic psychologists.
3. To understand the breadth and diverse range of application of this discipline
4. Briefly overview the historical back ground of forensic psychology
5. How can you become a forensic psychologists
What is forensic psychology?
Forensic Psychology is devoted to psychological aspects of legal processes in courts. The term is also
often used to refer to investigative and criminological psychology. The word "forensic" means legal;
any thing that is pertinent to law comes into the area of forensic psychology. The range of application of
forensic psychology is not merely limited to the criminals; it involves all matters that are relevant to our
legal and civil systems like courts, police, lawyers, crime investigations, criminal behaviours, police
recruitments, trainings and adjustment etc.
Definitions:
Wrightsman
According to Wrightsman "Forensic Psychology is reflected by any application of psychological
knowledge or methods to a task faced by the legal system"
Bartel & Bartel
Views Forensic psychology as both:
The research endeavor that examines aspects of human behavior directly related to
the legal process e.g., eyewitness memory and testimony, jury decision making or
criminal behavior and
The professional practice of psychology within or in consultation with a legal system
that encompasses both criminal and civil law and the numerous areas where they
interact.
Breadth of forensic psychology
Forensic psychology is a very new and exciting area; it seems exciting because of the immense range of
its applications, For instance:
Child custody decisions
Child abuse of an emotional, physical and sexual nature
Matters of competency to stand trial
Victim support responsibilities
Jury selection
Alleviating Police burnout
Competency evaluations
Expert witness
Advising legislators on public policy
Treatment of chronic offenders
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Forensic Psychology (PSY - 513)
VU
What do forensic psychologists do?
A Forensic Psychologist is more likely to be indulged in following activities:
Applying psychological theory to criminal investigation
Understanding psychological problems associated with criminal behaviour
The treatment of criminals include piloting and implementing treatment programmes
Modifying offender behaviours
Responding to the changing needs of staff and prisoners
Reducing stress for staff and prisoners
Providing hard research evidence to support practice
Undertaking statistical analysis for prisoner profiling
Giving evidence in court; advising parole boards and mental health tribunals; crime
analysis.
Brief historical back ground
Historically the legal system has embraced medical expertise, so it's not really surprising, therefore, that
legal issues relating to madness and insanity continue to be examined within a medical framework;
hence the adoption of terms such as `disease' of the mind and mental `illness'.
Historically, the field predates the Sociological jurisprudence movement of 1930-1950, and goes back
at least to 1908 when Hugo Munsterberg (the founder of applied psychology) published the book On the
Witness Stand.
Others cite historical benchmarks in Germany with the psychiatrist Albert von Schrenck-Notzing
offering testimony in court about pretrial publicity as far back as 1896. German police employed
psychologists to help them in investigations as early as 1920's.
Hugo Münsterberg, a student of Wilhelm Wundt and a professor at Harvard University, is generally
credited with founding the field of forensic psychology. His landmark textbook, On the Witness Stand
(1908), comprised nine chapters arguing for the involvement of psychologists in a number of aspects of
the legal system.
In the United States, the first psychological experiment on the psychology of testimony was conducted
by J. McKeen Cattell of Columbia University. In American criminology, one can trace the origins of a
clinical or psychological criminology to the psychiatrist William Healy, who in 1909, created the
Juvenile Psychopathic Institute to assist the newly created juvenile court in Illinois, and his classic work
is called Pathological Lying, Accusation, and Swindling.
The history of the insanity defense goes back to England, to the case of Daniel M'Naghten in 1843,
who shot and killed the secretary of the prime minister, and the M'Naghten test for insanity was used for
assessment.
Development as an APA division
In 2001 the American psychological Association (APA) approved the creation of a new division called
the forensic psychology division. And now days Psychologists are routinely consulted by courts on
various issues.
Now when as we add into the equation that the history of Forensic Psychology as a unique discipline is
a relatively short one, it's not difficult to understand why it has struggled to promote a clear identity for
itself, and why it is often interpreted as the poor relation of medical and psychiatric opinion. Typically
medical professionals were invited by courts to comment on insanity. Psychologists had been asked for
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Forensic Psychology (PSY - 513)
VU
help but infrequently. But with the passage of time legal system begun feeling the crucial need of
psychologists to assess the different situations, mental states and behaviors of criminal.
For instance, a criminal is presented in front of court and defense lawyer states that the criminal is
mentally retarded. Now a judge is not capable to understand the real nature of mental retardation.
Although judge has the authority to make the decision, but only a trained psychologist can verdict that
whether the criminal is mentally retarded or not.
Beyond any doubt, only well trained Psychologists are authorized to make judgments and operate in the
field of forensic psychology. Even psychiatrists do not meet the requirements of this area. Psychiatrist
is a medical doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders.
In Pakistan, development of Forensic Psychology has a long route to exceed and many hurdles to
overcome. Because the field is very new even in USA and many other European countries.
Future of Forensic Psychology
Forensic psychology has experienced steady growth in the past two decades. It is predicted that research
work, consultation, and clinical practice in psychology and the law will continue to grow over the next
ten years. The highest demand is predicted to be working with the courts, attorneys, and lawmakers.
Jobs will also continue to grow in colleges and universities where most of the research is conducted.
Laws are constantly changing, which can be good news for a forensic psychologist. Exploring different
ways of dealing with juvenile offenders is also becoming a popular subject; decisions related to dealing
with these offenders often require the expert advice of a forensic psychologist. Those who hold
doctorate degrees will have many more career opportunities than those with only a master's degree. It is
almost impossible to specialize in this field with only a bachelor's degree.
How to become a Forensic Psychologist
The preferred route to become a forensic psychologist is through the clinical route; means become a
clinical psychologist first and then specialize in forensic psychology.
Individuals interested in pursuing a Forensic Psychology career would have take psychology and
criminal justice courses at the core of their academic studies. There are very limited numbers of
academic institutions that specifically offer a Forensic Psychology degree. Two institutes in Pakistan are
offering diplomas in forensic psychology. Clinical, social, cognitive, criminal investigative, and
developmental psychology also help to prepare one for this specialty.
A forensic psychologist may chose to solely focus his/her career on research, ranging anywhere from
examination of eyewitness testimony to learning how to improve interrogation methods. Another form
of Forensic Psychology work is public policy, in which researchers can help in the design of
correctional facilities and prisons. More generally, Forensic Psychology covers territory between the
traditional options of criminal justice (i.e., academic training, law enforcement, and corrections).
Text and Reference Material
The primary text book for this course is Wrightsman, L. S. (2001). Forensic psychology. Belmont, CA:
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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