Forensic Psychology Lecture Notes

What is Forensic Psychology?

Introduction to Forensic Psychology

  • Definition: The intersection of psychological practices with the law, integrating both assessment and interventions in legal contexts.

  • Topics Covered:

    • Myths and Realities

    • History of Forensic Psychology

    • Roles of Forensic Psychologists as Expert Witnesses

    • Psychological Theories of Crime

Origin of Forensic Psychology

  • Etymology: "Forensic" originates from Latin "forensis," meaning "of the forum," indicating the public discussion and legal context.

Definitions of Forensic Psychology

Narrow Definition

  • Focuses on the professional practice of clinical psychology emphasizing assessments and treatment of individuals involved in the legal system.

Broad Definition

  • Incorporates clinical aspects (profession within civil and criminal law) and experimental elements (research on human behavior related to legal processes).

Roles of Forensic Psychologists

Clinical Forensic Psychologist

  • Role: Addresses mental health issues within the legal system, conducting assessments and providing treatment.

  • Qualifications: Requires a graduate degree and registration with a professional organization.

Experimental Forensic Psychologist

  • Role: Engages in research relevant to the legal system, evaluating the efficacy of current assessments and treatments.

  • Qualifications: Must hold a graduate degree focused on a forensic psychological issue.

Legal Scholar

  • Role: Analyzes mental health laws, policy, and legislative matters.

  • Qualifications: Graduate degree with research focused on forensic-legal issues.

Relationship Between Psychology and Law (Haney, 1980)

  • Use of Psychology: Psychology is utilized to examine legal systems in three ways:

    • Psychology and the law: The application of psychological knowledge to the legal system.

    • Psychology in the law: The incorporation of psychological practices within legal proceedings.

    • Psychology of the law: The study of legal phenomena from a psychological perspective.

Examples of Judgments and Research Questions

  1. Police officers employing open-ended questions during interviews.

  2. Deciding on the appropriate discretion judges should possess in sentencing.

  3. Identifying risk factors predictive of sexual recidivism.

Other Forensic Disciplines

  • Forensic Anthropology: Examines bones to ascertain facts about deceased individuals.

  • Forensic Linguistics: Analyzes written or spoken words for authenticity (e.g., suicide notes).

  • Forensic Odontology: Investigates dental records or bite marks for victim identification.

  • Forensic Entomology: Utilizes insect evidence in crime scene investigations.

  • Forensic Pathology: Conducts autopsies to determine cause of death in unexplained cases.

  • Forensic Toxicology: Studies the effects of substances on human behavior and physiological responses.

  • Forensic Art: Creates facial composites, reconstructive imagery, and age-progressed depictions for investigative purposes.

Summary of Forensic Disciplines

  1. Forensic Anthropology - Bone examination.

  2. Forensic Linguistics - Language analysis.

  3. Forensic Odontology - Dental record studies.

  4. Forensic Entomology - Insect evidence analysis.

  5. Forensic Pathology - Autopsy studies.

  6. Forensic Toxicology - Drug interaction effects.

  7. Forensic Artist - Visual restorative methods.

Distinction Between Forensic Psychiatrists and Psychologists

  • Psychologist:

    • Training: Focuses on assessing/treating mental health.

    • Research Orientation: Primarily psychological models.

    • Medication: Cannot prescribe medications.

  • Psychiatrist:

    • Training: Medical doctor with focus on physical disease models.

    • Functionality: Can prescribe medications.

Myths and Realities in Forensic Psychology

  • Examining common misconceptions regarding forensic psychological practices:

  1. False Confessions: True - modern police techniques can lead to false confessions.

  2. Eyewitness Identification: False - witnesses often struggle with identifying suspects accurately.

  3. Detecting Deception: False - studies show police officers may not be good at detecting lies.

  4. Sleepwalking Murders: False - extremely rare and often surrounded by controversy.

  5. Violent Psychopaths: False - not all psychopaths exhibit violent behavior.

  6. Predicting Serial Killers: False - reliable prediction remains challenging.

Historical Development of Forensic Psychology

Early Research Pioneers

  • 1895: James McKeen Cattell - Conducted the first experiments on the psychology of testimony.

  • 1900: Alfred Binet - Investigated suggestibility in children through various questioning techniques.

  • 1901: William Stern - Contributed to research on eyewitness testimony.

  • 1896: Albert von Schrenck-Notzing - First psychologist used as an expert in court proceedings; emphasized the effect of media on memory.

  • 1911: Julian Varendonck - Addressed the reliability of child eyewitness testimony and advocated for their protection.

  • 1908: Hugo Munsterberg - Authored "On the Witness Stand," establishing foundational texts in forensic psychology.

Expert Testimonies and Judicial Implications

  • Expert witnesses serve to clarify complex psychological concepts in legal contexts, differentiated by their roles:

    • Hired Gun: Offers opinions based on monetary incentives, potentially biased.

    • Commission Advocate: Aligns with one party’s viewpoint, aiming for favorable testimony.

    • Impartial Witness: Maintains objectivity, providing unbiased information for the case.

Legal Standards for Expert Testimony in Canada (R. v. Mohan, 1994)

  1. Relevance: Must contribute meaningful information to the case.

  2. Necessity: Should provide insights beyond common knowledge.

  3. Admissibility: Must comply with exclusionary rules.

  4. Qualified Presentation: Delivered by a recognized expert in the relevant field.

  5. Independence: Experts must remain unbiased and independent (standards updated in 2015).

Psychological Theories of Crime

Overview of Theoretical Frameworks

  • Focuses on Criminal Personalities:

    • Eysenck’s biosocial theory of crime - considers biological, environmental, and personality factors.

    • Learning theories, including Bandura’s social learning theory which posits aggression as learned behavior from environmental context.

Eysenck’s Biosocial Theory of Crime (1964)

  • Factors Influencing Criminal Behavior:

    1. Genetics: Neurophysiological factors affecting individual susceptibility.

    2. Environment: Historical socialization experiences shaping behavior.

    3. Personality: Eysenck's two dimensions of personality - Extraversion and Neuroticism, affecting conscience development.

Social Learning Theory (Bandura, 1977)

  • Principles:

    • Aggression is predominantly learned through observational means from family, media, or peers.

  • Transmission of Aggression:

    • Acknowledges that behaviors don't manifest without adequate triggers, both aversive (prompting defensive aggression) and incentive (promoting proactive violence).

Research Findings on Aggression (Bandura et al., 1961)

  • Conducted a study with young children observing adults interacting with a Bobo doll, designed to measure the degree of behavioral imitation based on observed aggression.

  • Findings showed children imitating aggressive behaviors towards the doll, indicating learned aggression through modeling.

Conclusion

  • The study of forensic psychology bridges the gap between legal principles and psychological understanding. It draws on historical foundations and evolving theoretical frameworks to address contemporary issues related to crime, assessment, and the judicial role of psychology.