psych midterm 2400 FORENSIC PSYCH

What is the Mr. Big technique

A police method where undercover officers pretend to be criminals to get a suspect to confess

Why is the Mr. Big technique noncustodial

It happens outside of the interrogation room

What does a suspect have to do to join the “gang” in the Mr. Big technique

Confess to a serious crime

What are ethical concerns with the Mr. Big technique

It may be entrapment, and the confession may not be voluntary or reliable

What are the three stages of the Reid Model

Collect evidence, interview the suspect, interrogate the suspect

What is the purpose of the interview stage in the Reid Model

To see if the suspect seems deceptive

What is the goal of the interrogation stage in the Reid Model

To get a confession

What assumption does the Reid Model make about people

People make choices they think are best for themselves

What are minimization techniques

Gentle tactics that make the crime seem less serious and make the suspect feel safe

What are the maximization techniques

Intimidating tactics that scare the suspect and make things seem hopeless

What are problems with the Reid Model

Police may misjudge lying, assume guilt, and cause false confessions

What are the Méndez Principles?

Guidelines that encourage non-coercive interviewing, but they are not legally required

When is a confession considered false?

When it is forced and not based on real knowledge of the crime

What is a voluntary false confession

A false confession given without police pressure

Why might someone give a voluntary false confession

For attention, guilt, confusion, or to protect someone else

What is a retracted confession

A confession the person later says is false

What is a disputed confession

A confession that is challenged in court

What is a coerced-compliant false confession

A confession given to stop the interrogation or get a reward

What is a coerced-internalized false confession

When a person starts to believe they committed a crime they didnt do

What makes someone more vulnerable to internalized false confessions

Substance use, brain problems, confusion, or high anxiety

What is internalization

Accepting guilt for something you did not do

What is confabulation

Making up events that never happened

When do police use criminal profiling

When cases are difficult and there is no clear suspect or motive

What is criminal profiling

Trying to describe an offender’s traits based on their crimes

What is deductive profiling

Profiling based on evidence from the specific crime

What is inductive profiling

Profiling based on similarities to other solved crimes

What are criticisms of criminal profiling

It lacks strong evidence, clear theory, and accuracy

What is the organized-disorganized model

A model that links how a crime scene looks to offender traits

What do organized crime scenes show

The crime was planned and controlled

What do disorganized crime scenes show

The crime was impulsive and chaotic

What are organized background characteristics

A careful and methodical person

What are disorganized background characteristics

A disturbed person with mental health issues

What is the classic trait model

A theory that behaviour comes from stable personality traits

What is geographic profiling

Using crime locations to guess where an offender lives

What are geographic profiling systems

Computer programs that use math to predict where offenders live

What is the purpose of sentencing?

To reduce the chance that the offender and the community will break the law in the future

What is specific deterrence

Sentencing meant to reduce the chance that the same offender will reoffend

What is general deterrence

Sentencing meant to reduce the chance that the public will offend in the future

What is the fundamental purpose of sentencing

To promote respect for the law and maintain a just, peaceful, and safe society by imposing sanctions

What are the main sentencing goals besides deterrence

Denouncing unlawful conduct, separating offenders from society, rehabilitating offenders, providing reparations, and promoting responsibility

What does it mean to denounce unlawful conduct

To formally express society’s condemnation of the crime

What are reparations

A sentence requiring the offender to make monetary payment to the victim or community

What is the most common sentence imposed

Probation (about 40%)

What is absolute discharge

The offender is found guilty but not convicted and has no criminal record

What is conditional discharge

The offender is placed on probation and must follow conditions for a set time

What is a conditional sentence

A prison sentence served in the community under strict conditions

What is unwarranted sentencing disparity

Differences in sentences for similar crimes caused by legally irrelevant factors

What is systematic sentencing disparity

Consistent differences in sentencing due to judges’ view on how harsh sentences should be

What is unsystematic sentencing disparity

Inconsistent sentencing by the same judge due to factors like mood

What is the risk principle (RNR model)?

Interventions should focus on offenders at high risk of reoffending

What is the need principle (RNR model)

Interventions should target criminogenic needs linked to reoffending

What is the responsivity principle (RNR model)

Interventions should match the offender’s learning style

What is a temporary absence

A patrol allowing offenders to enter the community temporarily for specific purposes

What is day parole

A parole allowing offenders to enter the community for up to one day

What is full parole

Serving the remainder of a sentence in the community under supervision

What is statutory release

Release after serving two-thirds of a prison sentence

What is recall memory

Reporting details of a previously witnessed event or person

What is recognition memory

Determining whether a currently viewed item or person was seen before

What is the most common paradigm used to study eyewitness testimony

The laboratory simulation study

What are estimator variables

Variables present at the time of the crime that cannot be changed (e.g., witness age, presence of a weapon)

What are system variables

Variables that can be controlled to influence eyewitness accuracy (e.g., police procedures)

What are dependent variables in eyewitness studies

Outcomes that measure eyewitness performance

What are the three main dependent variables in eyewitness research

Recall of the event, recall of the perpetrator, and recognition of the perpetrator

What is open-ended recall

Witnesses freely report everything they remember without being asked specific questions

What is direct question recall

Witnesses answer specific questions about the event or perpetrator

What is memory conformity

When one witness’s report influences another witness’s report

What is the misinformation effect

When incorrect post-event information is incorporated into a witness’s memory

What is the misinformation acceptance hypothesis

Witnesses accept misinformation because they believe it is what the interviewer wants

What is the source misattribution hypothesis

Witnesses confuse the source of their memories and cannot tell oringinal memories from misinformation

What is the memory impairment hypothesis

Original memory is replaced by incorrect post-event information

What is hypnosis used for in eyewitness interviews

To help witnesses recall information when trauma prevents recall

What is hypnotically refreshed memory

Increased recall under hypnosis compared to non-hypnotized witnesses

What is age regression is hypnosis

The witness mentally returns to the time of the event

What is the television technique in hypnosis

The witness imagines watching the event on a mental television screen

What is a major limitation of hypnosis in eyewitness testimony

Recalled details are no more accurate than inaccurate

Why must police be cautious when using hypnosis

Because hypnosis increases quantity of recall, not accuracy

What is the cognitive interview

An interview technique based on how memory is stored and retrieved

What are the four techniques of the cognitive interview

Reinstating context, report everything, reversing order, and changing perspective

What is the enhanced cognitive interview

A cognitive interview that also incorporates social and communication principles

How can recognition memory be tested

Live lineups, photo arrays, video surveillance, and voice identification

What are foils

Lineup members who are known to be innocent

What is a simultaneous lineup

All lineup members are shown at once

What type of judgement does a simultaneous lineup encourage

Relative judgement

What is a sequential lineup

Lineup members are shown one at a time with a decision made after each

What type of judgment does a sequential lineup encourage

Absolute judgement

What is a show-up

Identification procedure involving only one suspect

What is a walk-by identification

A naturalistic identification where a witness views a suspect in public

What is foil bias

The suspect is the only lineup member matching the perpetrator’s description

What is clothing bias

The suspect is the only lineup member wearing similar clothing to the perpetrator

What is instruction bias

Police imply that the perpetrator is present in the lineup

What are best practices for voice identification

Conduct it quickly, use matching foils, use double-blind procedures, and state the suspect may not be present

What are three estimator variable that receive the most research attention

Age, race, and weapon focus

What are two explanations for the weapon focus effect

Arousal and unusualness

What is the cue-utilization hypothesis

Increased emotional arousal reduces attention to peripheral details

What underlying principle do polygraphs rely on

Deception is associated with physiological change

What physiological responses does a polygraph measure

Breathing, sweat on skin, and heart rate

What is skin conductance response

Changes in sweat that alter the electrical conductance of the skin

What is a polygraph used to measure

Physiological responses to questions asked by an examiner

What ate polygraph disclosure tests

Tests used to uncover information about an offender’s past behaviour

What is the comparison question technique (CQT)

A polygraph method using neutral, relevant, and comparison questions