Introduction to Forensic Psychology

What is forensic psychology

• meaning of or before the forum

• at the intersection of psychology, legal systems and criminal justice

• Any application of psychological knowledge or methods to the legal system.

• Deals with evidence, witnesses, and the courts (legal psychology), and understanding/reducing criminal behaviour (criminological psychology)

Devlin enquiry

In 1976 which called for psychological research into identification of suspects.

19th-20th century

Application of psychological theory to criminal behaviour:

Focused on why criminals are different to non-criminals

• Biological aspects, e.g., physiognomy (Lombroso), heritability, personality (impulsivity)

• Environmental factors, e.g. attachment (Bowlby), social learning theory, operant conditioning (reinforcement)

• Internal processes, e.g. cognitions and emotions, moral development.

Limitations: often deterministic, focus on explanation not treatment

20th century 

From “nothing works” (Martinson, 1974) to what works” (Andrews & Bonta, 1994; McGuire, 1995).

Nothing works era: in a review by Martinson concluded that offender treatment does not reduce offending. Led to punitive justice, reduced faith in rehabilitation and rise of incarceration

Shift to what works: evidence showed some programmes do reduce offending. Birth of evidence- based forensic psychology

• RNR model: high risk, criminogenic needs, responsibility (matching treatments to learning style and ability)

• Impact: psychology becomes central to risk assessment, rehabilitation programmes and policy. sentencing decisions

21st century

Positive and strength-based treatment approaches (e.g. Good Lives Model; Ward & Gannon, 2006).

• Focus on: well being, meaning, personal goals, social integration

• Good lives model: Offending seen as a maladaptive way of achieving basic human needs. Treatment aims to held offenders achieve a ‘good life’ in prosocial ways

Code of ethics and conduct (BPS)

Framework for guiding decision-making.

Four principles:

-Respect

-Competence

-Responsibility

-Integrity

Each is described with a statement of values. 

applications of forensic psychology 

1. police interviewing: suspect interrogations, false confessions, interviewing, detecting deception (polygraphs)

2. offender profiling: using information at the crime scene to build a profile of the possible perpetrator (area, time of day and of week) which narrows down the suspect list

3. geographical profiling: using locations of a connected series of crime sites to determine the most probable areas of an offenders residence 

4. evidence-based policing: understanding what works” to reduce crime and disorder to make the most efficient use of police resources e.g., hot spot policing, longer/frequent patrols, body worn cameras 

5. critical incident decision making: responses to major incidents such as major police investigations, CT operations, and disaster response.

6. eyewitness testimony: Accounts given by people of a crime, including identification of suspects or victims, details of the crime scene and so on (important as 75% overturned convictions) 

7. jury decision making: 

8. forensic assessment: e.g., risk assessment which involves estimating the likelihood of reoffending using specialised risk assessment tools.

9. offender treatment: Developing and implementing treatment frameworks to reduce reoffending and improve wellbeing.

polygraphs

• lie detector 

• measures physiological responses (hear rate sweating, blood pressure) 

• detects bodily signs 

• since 2014 can be used for sex offenders on parole 

• HOWEVER, issues with reliability and validity 

  • Do not know for sure what they measure

  • Quality of evidence

  • Some better than others (using crime related info only the suspect would know)

effectiveness of body worn cameras

• used by 70% of the police force

• Increases public confidence/trust in police

• Reduces force used by and against police

• Can be used as evidence in trials

• RCTs & Systematic reviews have found mixed result

• Citizen complaints- consistent in that compliant decrease

• Issue of discretion- cameras need to be on all the time

• Problems with bias and methodology- due to time so is not generalisable

Fairness of jury trails

• not very prevalent (only used in 1% of UK criminal cases

• Not all juries are representative

• Juries attitudes and defendant characteristics matter

• Pre-trial publicity 

• Jurors find it difficult to understand legal directions

BUT

• Jurors and judges tend to agree in most cases  (89%)

= proposals to improve jury system

 

“nothing works/what works” view of rehabilitating offenders

• general pessimism around offender rehabilitation

• Martinson (1974) review concluded there is no significant effect

  • On average mean reduction of reoffending is 5-10% after treatment

  • Cognitive and behavioural more effective than others

  • Strength-based approaches have higher chance of working

  • Should target specific risk factors

Describe the pathway to forensic chartership and registered practitioner status

• graduate in Psychology accredited by BPS

• MSc in forensic psychology

• qualification in forensic psychology: involves 2-4 years of supervised practice which requires working in a suitable role

  • must demonstrated competencies in: Conducting interventions, assessments and evaluations with clients, applied forensic research, supporting and advising other professionals, consultancy and policy

• chartered and full DFP membership, HCPC status