Forensics

Forensic Psychology

The activities of psychologists impacting the criminal justice system, encompassing various psychology branches.

Ethical Principles

Guidelines like the Nuremberg Code and Declaration of Helsinki followed in research.

Analytical Attitudes

Evaluating evidence logically.

Correlational and Experimental Research

Studying relationships and conducting experiments in psychology.

Social Learning Theory

Bandura's theory emphasizing learning through observation and reinforcement.

Cognitive Theories of Crime

The hypothesis linking low intelligence to criminal behavior.

Self-Regulation

Controlling behavior in different situations.

Biological Explanations

Understanding crime through biological factors like hormones and neurotransmitters.

Fear of Crime

The public's perception of crime and its impact on society.

Restorative Justice

A process involving victims and offenders to address the impact of crimes and promote rehabilitation.

Class 3 Offences

Includes kidnapping, burglary, grievous bodily harm, and robbery, typically tried by a Circuit Judge or Recorder.

The Jury

Consists of 12 individuals in the crown court who observe trials and decide verdicts, no longer requiring unanimity in the UK since 1967.

Youth Justice System

Deals with 10-17-year-olds in a less formal setting, with 3 magistrates or a district judge, no jury, and specific requirements for youth rehab orders.

Stalking

Involves repeated intrusive acts causing apprehension, often addressed by the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 and the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012.

Psychopathy

A mental disorder characterized by antisocial behavior, low empathy, and egotistical traits, with predictors like low resting heart rate and frontal brain deficits.

Displaced Aggression

Aggressive actions directed towards a target not responsible for provocation, influenced by factors like rumination and social environments.

Punishment

The imposition of penalties as retribution for an offense, involving intentional infliction assumed to be unwelcome, justified by retribution or utilitarian theories.

Deterrence

People are deterred from action when they refrain from them because they dislike what they believe to be the possible consequences of those actions.

Individual deterrence

The deterrence of convicted offenders from re-offending.

General deterrence (Lewis 1986)

"the inhibiting effect of sanctions on the criminal activity of people other than the sanctioned offender."

Humanitarian approach

Offenders may come from disadvantaged backgrounds (socially and economically) and may have been childhood victims of criminal abuse, arguing that in a humane society, offenders deserve rehabilitation efforts.

Restorative justice

A supervised mediation meeting between victim and offender with a trained mediator, allowing both parties to seek a positive outcome with respect and no degradation.

Timeline of the UK Prison System

Evolution from being a place to await trial and punishment to the development of separate facilities for young people and open prisons.

Overcrowding

A significant issue in the UK prison system, leading to increased re-offending and physical and psychological stress.

Mental illness

A variety of psychological conditions with characteristic disabling and distressing impairments in psychological functioning.

Diagnostic bias

The tendency to include violence as a diagnostic criterion in mental health classifications, impacting the perception and treatment of individuals with mental disorders.

Command hallucinations

Hallucinations where voices instruct the person to perform certain acts, such as crimes, which can influence behavior and actions.