Forensic psychology
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Forensic psychology is the application of psychological principles and knowledge to various legal activities. Typical issues include child custody disputes, child abuse or neglect, assessing personal capacity to manage one's affairs, matters of competency to stand trial, criminal responsibility, personal injury, and advising judges in matters relating to sentencing regarding various mitigants and the actuarial assessment of future risk.
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[edit] History
One of the earliest examples of a psychologist acting as an expert witness in a court of law was in 1896 when Albert von Schrenck-Notzing testified at the trial of a man accused of murdering three women. Drawing on research into memory and suggestibility he argued that pre-trial publicity meant that witnesses could not distinguish between what they actually saw and what had been reported in the press.
[edit] Training and education
Forensic psychologists typically hold a Ph.D. or Psy.D. in clinical psychology. In the United States, in order for a psychologist to practice as a forensic psychologist, the individual must be a state licensed psychologist and receive certification as a Diplomate in Forensic Psychology by the American Board of Forensic Psychology. To qualify, the psychologist must have at least 4 years of postdoctoral experience in forensic psychology, 100 hours of specialized training in forensic psychology, and pass an oral and written examination [1].
While some Masters level programs in forensic psychology do exist, it is not possible for those individuals to practice legally as forensic psychologists in the United States or Canada as a doctoral degree is required for licensure as a psychologist [2].
[edit] Common practices
Forensic psychologists serve a number of roles in support of and within the criminal justice system. When an individual is believe to be incompetent to proceed to trial, a forensic psychologist or forensic psychiatrist is brought in to examine and assess the individual in custody. Based on the assessment, a recommendation is made to the court as to the individual's competence to proceed to trial. Forensic psychologists are also called upon to examine individuals who claim an insanity defense, referred to in various states as Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity (NGRI or NGI) or Not Guilty due to Mental Disease or Defect. Additionally, forensic psychologists are frequently asked to make an assessment of an individual's risk of re-offending or dangerousness. They also provide information and recommendations necessary for sentencing purposes, grants of probation, and the formulation of conditions of parole. Forensic psychologists are routinely called upon in death penalty cases to provide analysis of the intentions, motivations and personality characteristics of the accused. In juvenile courts, they often are asked to help determine whether a youthful offender can be rehabilitated. They also occasionally assist prosecutors, defenders, and law enforcement investigators in understanding a range of normal and criminal behaviors, sometimes serving as "criminal profilers".
Once an individual has been found not competent to proceed to trial or Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity, forensic psychologists will work within a facility setting to help the individual to either regain competence so the person is able to stand trial or will provide treatment until such time as the individual is deemed no longer a risk to society or themselves.
In the civil law arena, forensic psychologists often provide assessments of whether someone has been harmed by some event. For example, in a wrongful death suit, a psychologist might offer opinions as to whether a plaintiff suffered emotional trauma in response to the death of a loved one. They might also assess the emotional injuries suffered by someone who has been injured in an accident or who witnessed a traumatic event. Psychologists are often called upon in sexual harassment suits to describe the impact of the harassment on the purported victim. In this arena, the forensic psychologist might be required to provide treatment recommendations or to analyze the specific treatment needs of an individual, and might be asked to determine the potential cost of such treatment.
In the arena of workers' compensation law, a forensic psychologist might be called upon to describe how workplace stress factors impacted the psychological functioning of a claimant, or to determine whether the purported work place stress had any effect on the worker at all. As in the more general civil law context, the forensic psychologist might be asked to determine treatment needs and treatment plans.
In the family law arena, forensic psychologists are often called upon to assess the "best interests" of children whose parents are divorcing. Commonly, this involves making recommendations to a Court with respect to child custody arrangements. Child custody mediation is another role that forensic psychologists undertake in the family law arena—serving as a mediator between divorced parents who remain in dispute about the needs and interests of their children. In some jurisdictions, forensic psychologists are appointed as "special masters" by the court, and are charged with making both recommendations and orders for the care of children in disputed custody situations.
[edit] Further reading
- Dalby, J. T. (1997) Applications of Psychology in the Law Practice: A guide to relevant issues, practices and theories. Chicago: American Bar Association.
- Ribner, N.G.(2002). California School of Professional Psychology Handbook of Juvenile Forensic Psychology. Jossey-Bass. ISBN 0-7879-5948-0
- G.H. Gudjonsson and L.R.C. Haward: Forensic Psychology. A guide to practice. (1998) ISBN 0-415-13291-6 (pbk.), ISBN 0-415-13290-8 (hbk.)
[edit] See also
- Legal psychology
- Offender profiling
- FBI Method of Profiling
- Investigative psychology
- Forensic psychiatry
[edit] External links
- All About Forensic Psychology A comprehensive guide to the world of Forensic Psychology
- Juridical psychology
- http://www.i-psy.com/index.php
- Forensic Psychology Blog Regularly updated news and articles from the world of Forensic Psychology.
- John Jay College of Criminal Justice
