HOSA Forensic Science: Psychiatry/Psychology

Actus Rectus

The guilty act

Mens Rea

"Guilty Mind" A person's awareness of the fact that his or her conduct is criminal; the mental element of a crime.

Competency

The determination by the state about whether a person is capable to stand trial.

Crime Scene Staging

When a crime scene is altered in such a way that it would send investigators off course and away from the perpetrator

Diminished Capacity

An offender who could not or did not form the specific intent or could not act in a knowing and purposeful manner

Disorganized Offender

Offender who commits a crime with little or no planning. This criminal lacks control over the victim and is easily traced through evidence.

Dissimulation

A conscious and deliberate attempt to minimize or deny symptoms of a mental disorder

Insanity

A mental state in which the individual could not or did not know what he or she was doing or that what he or she was doing was wrong

Internally Inconsistent

Occurs when a scene as been staged. All parts of the scene do not fit together in a logical manner.

Malingering

Conscious attempt to feign a physical or mental disease

McNaughton rules

Cognitive test for insanity. A state test to determine if a person can be found guilty or if they were insane during the commission of the crime.

Modus Operandi

A criminals method of operation. Based on the principle that a criminal is likely to use the same technique repeatedly in a series of crimes

Organized Offender

A perpetrator who exhibits a great deal of though/planning into their crimes. This criminal maintains control over the victim and leaves little to no evidence to indicate themselves.

Overkill

When someone is killed with more force than was necessary to end their life. Typically indicates that they killer knew the victim and was angry at them

Personality inventories

Psychological tests that evaluate personality, psychopathology and mental functioning

Profiling

A psychological investigation of a violent unsolved crime. Covers victomology, MO, crime scenes, and characteristics of the offender

Projective

Psychological tests that present a person with an ambiguous stimulus and assumes that their responses will indicate aspects of their personality

Psycholegal

Pertains to legal issues or questions that are addressed by psychologists or other mental health professionals

Signature

The specific way a killer distinguishes the murders they commit from all others

Souvenir

A victim's personal item that is taken by the offender to remember the crime. It usually indicates an the offender feels inadequate and will keep it for a long time.

Thematic Appreciation Test

A test in which a person is shown a picture depicting various everyday situations and is asked to create a story based on the picture.

Victimology

Victims history that impacts the analysis of a crime

Eyewitness testimony

What is the most prevalent area of forensic psychological research?

Jenkins vs. United States 1962

When were psychologists recognized in court?