| Explain what forensic psychology is (and isn't), including key debates Myths about Forensic Psychology Forensic Psychology is the same as forensic science As a Forensic Psychologist, most of your time is spent on crime scenes All Forensic Psychologists are profilers Forensic Psychologists solve criminal cases As a Forensic Psychologists, you will only work with the most serious and dangerous offenders
Forensic Psychology is glamorous/exciting Forensis meaning “of or before the forum” (i.e., the place where Roman trials were conducted). 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)
Psychology and legal issues 19th-20th century: increasing interest in the application of (experimental) psychology to legal issues. Eyewitness testimony Interviewing procedures False confessions Suggestive questioning Detecting deception
Devlin Enquiry (1976): called for psychological research into identification of suspects 19th-20th century - Application of psychological theory to criminal behaviour: Biological aspects, e.g., physiognomy, heritability, personality. Environmental factors, e.g. attachment, social learning theory, operant conditioning. Internal processes, e.g. cognitions and emotions, moral development.
20th century - From “nothing works” (Martinson, 1974) to “what works” (Andrews & Bonta, 1994; McGuire, 1995). 21st century - Positive and strength-based treatment approaches (e.g. Good Lives Model; Ward & Gannon, 2006). Roles and remits Psychological assessment in the criminal justice system Acting as an expert witness/advisor in court Risk assessments for the parole board process and attendance at parole board hearings Piloting, implementing and delivering treatment programmes for offenders Delivery/facilitation of offender treatment Supporting the recovery of crime victims or family members
Supporting staff working with offender populations Crime analysis and offender profiling Advising police forces on interviewing techniques Act as consultants/advisors to key organisations (i.e. Police; Home Office; Prison/Probation Service; CPS) Train other Forensic Psychologists Conduct applied research into Forensic Psychology issues Carrying out research to support policy and practice
(Forensic Psychologists are involved at all stages of the criminal justice process) HM Prisons (HMP) or privately operated/owned prisons (i.e. G4S, Serco, Sodexo) National Probation Service (NPS) Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) Forensic Mental Health Settings/Services and Hospitals (e.g. Broadmoor, Ashworth) Private Consultancy Academia, i.e. Academic Departments & Research Centers within Universities
Third sector organizations (Charities) Forensic Psychology in the UK ~90% of FPs in the UK are employed by HMPPS (or privately run prisons). Group-based Offender Behavioural Programmes (i.e. Thinking Skills Programme (TSP); Alcohol-Related Violence (ARV); Horizon; Building Better Relationships (BBR), etc.). Some individual psychological/therapeutic work with offenders. Completion of risk assessment reports (either for parole or court hearings). Training of staff/supporting staff wellbeing.
| | Outline a range of contexts in which forensic psychology is applicable Police interviewing Long and winding path of suspect interrogations, including dark pages like the MK Ultra Program. Alternative proposals based on humanistic psychology and rapport–based methods. Observing Rapport Based Interpersonal Techniques (ORBIT; Alison et al., 2013; Alison et al., 2021). Based on Motivational Interviewing (MI) and the Interpersonal Behaviour Circle (IBC) model.
Great interest in FP into research on all aspects of police interviewing: False confessions, e.g. coercive methods. Interviewing vulnerable suspects, e.g. persons with intellectual disabilities, juveniles. Psychological impact of interviewing techniques. Detecting deception, e.g. polygraphs.
Do "lie detectors" work? Polygraph measures. Physiological responses – heart rate, palmar sweating, blood pressure, etc. Detects bodily signs thought to be associated with lying. Can be used in the UK in the context of sex offender management.
Offender Profiling Using information at the crime scene (where, when and how) to build a profile of the possible perpetrator (personality, behavioural tendencies, demographic variables).
Different approaches, views, and practices: Geographical profiling uses the locations of a connected series of crime sites to determine the most probable area of an offenders’ residence. Using spatial and temporal (e.g., where and when the crime occurred) behaviour to inform investigatory hypotheses. Based on psychological theory. Helps target resources. Validity and accuracy.
Data and assumptions Evidence-based policing Understanding “what works” to reduce crime and disorder to make the most efficient use of police resources. Examples: Are body-worn cameras effective? Implications for the use of force, public confidence and transparency/accountability Missing people >350,000 people reported missing every year in the UK, estimated cost £700 million per year. Reasons why people go missing / types of missing people Risk assessment factors and practices Spatial patterns in missing people’s behaviour Optimisation of appeals (cognitive processes, memory, social media,...)
Cybercrime typologies and motivations Evidence-based policing in cybercrime Effects of harm on victims Victimisation risk and prevention
Critical incident decision-making Research into responses to major incidents such as major police investigations, CT operations, and disaster response. Analysis of decision-making environment, e.g. uncertainty, time-pressure. Factors influencing decision-making, e.g. personality, communication skills, information availability, inter agency working. Application of decision-making theories, including heuristics and biases.
Eyewitness (EW) testimony Accounts given by people of a crime, including identification of suspects or victims, details of the crime scene and so on. Important factor in miscarriages of justice: according to the Innocence Project (2012), around 75% of overturned convictions in the US linked to flawed EW testimony. Cognitive and social factors in attention, memory storage and retrieval. Remembering and recognising others (the misidentification problem). Pros and cons of identification procedures such as show ups and line ups Researching new procedures, e.g. “Mystery Man” (Havard & Memon, 2012).
Jury decision-making Ongoing debate regarding jury functioning among legal scholars and in the political arena. Great interest in how jurors form judgments (juror decision-making) and how juries collectively come to a verdict (jury decision-making). How jurors are selected. Factors affecting juror decision-making, e.g. juror and defendant characteristics, witness credibility, evidence strength, pre-trial publicity. Developing models of how jurors form judgments and deliberate. Factors that improve juror decision-making, e.g. written instructions.
Are trials by jury fair? Used in <1% of all criminal cases (UK) Democratic Right to be judged by a jury of one’s peers Costly and time-consuming Bias, comprehension and representativeness Juror misconduct
Risk assessment: Involves estimating the likelihood of reoffending using specialised risk assessment tools. Carried out at various stages of the criminal justice system. Approaches to risk and needs assessment. Outcomes of risk assessment. Risk of bias, accuracy and fairness. Development and application of general/specific tools.
Offender treatment Developing and implementing treatment frameworks to reduce reoffending. Considerations of working with dangerous offenders (e.g. psychopathy) and specific client groups (e.g. female offenders). Work with attorneys, correctional staff, or the courts regarding the mental well-being of incarcerated persons. Research on the effectiveness of treatment programmes.
"Nothing works/what works" - can we rehabilitate offenders? Traditionally, general pessimism around offender rehabilitation. Martinson (1974) – review of 231 studies of prison rehabilitation programmes. Consistent with political ideologies at the time.
Shift in government funding strategies Draws on many other disciplines in Psychology relevant to: Understanding criminal behaviour, e.g. attachment, cognitive distortions. Investigations, e.g. cognitive biases, memory. Courts, e.g. group dynamics, heuristics. Treatment, e.g. clinical approaches.
| | Describe the pathways to Forensic Chartership and Registered Practitioner Status: Division of Forensic Psychology- Graduate basis for Chartered Membership --> MSc in Forensic Psychology (BPS accredited) --> Qualification in Forensic Psychology (stage 2) --> Chartered and full DFP membership, HCPC status Stage 2 qualification- Paid qualification, involves 2 – 4 years of supervised practice. Enrolment requirements: 3-year degree in Psychology accredited by the BPS à Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership BPS accredited MSc in Forensic Psychology Working in a suitable role to undertake supervised practice, e.g. those working in prison services, the probation service, rehabilitation units, secure hospitals, forensic settings, and social services Several application points per year, training plan must be outlined for submission along with supervisory details.
To obtain stage 2 qualification, you must demonstrate competencies in four roles: Conducting interventions, assessments and evaluations with clients Applied forensic research Supporting and advising other professionals Consultancy and policy
Each area is assessed through three formal submissions. After obtaining Stage 2 Qualification, à application for Chartered Status within the BPS and Registered Psychologist Status with HCPC Summary: LO1: Explain what Forensic Psychology is (and isn’t), including key debates. Forensic psychology can be defined as any application of psychological theory and methods to legal contexts. It deals with evidence, witnesses, and the courts, and understanding and reducing criminal behaviour, and each have their own controversial debates. LO2: Outline a range of contexts in which Forensic Psychology is applicable. Applicable to all areas of the CJS: policing and investigations (e.g. evidence-based policing, behavioural investigative advice, missing persons investigations), the courts (e.g. eyewitness testimony, jury decision-making), and offender treatment. LO3: Describe the pathway to Forensic Chartership and Registered Practitioner Status. Stage 1 & Stage 2 as the most common route to Chartership
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