Final exam study guide

Question 1

Risk assessment

Answer 1

Refers to the process of conceptualizing various hazards in order to make judgements about their likelihood and the need for various preventative measures

Question 2

Clinical prediction

Answer 2

• Based on clinical experience and judgement - most intuitive, anecdotal, and subjective
• Is used most often for decisions on death penalty sentences and parole and probation of sex offenders

Question 3

Actuarial prediction

Answer 3

• Based on a statistical formula

- Still requires clinical judgement in scoring

Question 4

Anamnestic prediction

Answer 4

• Based on an analysis of how a particular person has acted in the past in similar situations
• Sometimes called “structured clinical judgement”

Question 5

Which type of risk assessment performs most accurately

Answer 5

Actuarial prediction fares better than clinical prediction, however clinical prediction is still used in court

Question 6

Problems related to recidivism research

Answer 6

• People commit different crimes than what gets them arrested
• Cannot study those that do not get released
• Uses only police records, not everybody who commits a crime gets caught

Question 7

Early prediction of dangerousness research regarding mentally ill individuals

Answer 7

-Mentally ill individuals are less prone to violence and have a lower arrest rate than the general population

Question 8

How do base rates for behavior affect our ability to predict the behavior

Answer 8

• Proportion likely to relapse

- Assess how recidivism in the sample treated differs from the base rate for the population

Question 9

Variables assessed in risk prediction for violence

Answer 9

• Static - non changeable features of the individual or historical events
• Dynamic - can change over time, psychotic symptoms or lack of insight
• Risk management - focus on the nature of situation or environment such as lack of supervision after release or lack of social support

Question 10

What is the best predictor for violence recidivism

Answer 10

PCL-R (Psychopathy checklist revised)

Question 11

What were the changes brought about as a result of the Tarasoff case

Answer 11

• When a patient poses a serious risk of violence, therapists are obliged to take reasonable care to protect the intended victim
• Violates bond of trust between clients and psychotherapists

Question 12

Factors that make it less likely for a sex offender to recidivate

Answer 12

• More serious sex offense histories
• Higher psychopathy scores
• Deviant sexual interest as measured with plethysmography

Question 13

Risk factors for growing up to be a batterer

Answer 13

• Witnessed or experienced violence in childhood
• Low self esteem
• Anger, stress, depression

Question 14

Why is it important to be able to predict the likelihood of child abuse

Answer 14

-For case workers to determine when to leave/return/remove a child from a home

Question 15

What is the extent of the damage caused by battering

Answer 15

-Currently the leading cause of injury in American woman

Question 16

What is the usual scenario for women who kill their batterer

Answer 16

-Unknown factors, could be based on the man’s behavior or women who are subject to harsher abuse, older, less well educated, and worse at coping

Question 17

Battered women syndrome

Answer 17

• A woman’s presumed reactions to a pattern of continual physical and psychological abuse inflicted on her by her mate
• No test can detect this

Question 18

The role of a forensic psychologist in cases of domestic violence

Answer 18

• Assessment
• Conduct a clinical interview
• Examine medical records
• Talk to third parties
• Social framework testimony

Question 19

How do men and women jurors in general view victims of domestic violence

Answer 19

• Men tend to be more protective towards women

- Women tend to be more negatively judgmental toward other women

Question 20

Major symptoms of PTSD

Answer 20

• Avoidance, increased arousal/reactions to reminds of event

- Rape victims may be the largest group of PTSD sufferers

Question 21

How are confessions viewed by juries

Answer 21

-Juries are highly influenced by confessions

Question 22

Miranda warning

Answer 22

-When a suspect is placed under the impression that he or she is not free to leave, police officers are expected to read the Miranda warning

• Right to an attorney during and after the interrogation
• The right to a court appointed attorney, if the suspect cannot afford one
• If you decide to answer questions without a lawyer present, you have the right to stop answering at any time

Question 23

Miranda v. Arizona

Answer 23

Ernesto Miranda was arrested for rape and kidnapping based on a confession given to the police after being interrogated for over two hours with no lawyer. The Supreme Court ruled that any statement stemming from a police interrogation was involuntary and inadmissible unless the police detectives provided the suspect with his or her Miranda rights.

Question 24

Confession

Answer 24

An admission of guilt - the most damaging evidence against a defendant in a criminal trial

Question 25

5th amendment

Answer 25

One’s right against compelled self-incrimination

Question 26

Supreme court rulings on confessions

Answer 26

1936 - confessions could no longer be physically coerced

• 1959 - coercion includes psychological pressure as well as physical brutality
• 1964 - Esobedo v. Illinois stated that the accused had a right to meet with his or her attorney before a confession was obtained
• 1966 - Miranda v. Arizona

Question 27

What activities are legal for police to engage in during an interrogation

Answer 27

• Open with a positive statement
• Lie/mislead suspect
• Minimize/maximize the behavior
• Build rapport

Question 28

Requirements to become a trial consultant

Answer 28

-None

Question 29

What type of case is most likely to hire a trial consultant

Answer 29

-Civil trials where a large sum of money is usually at stake

Question 30

What is pretrial publicity

Answer 30

-Attorneys may request a change of venue when the publicity is pervasive and the bias is one sided

Question 31

Advice to give witnesses to help them perform better on the stand

Answer 31

• Take your time
• Don’t answer questions you don’t understand
• If you don’t remember, say so
• Don’t be arrogant or defensive

Question 32

Pro defense vs pro prosecution jurors

Answer 32

Pro defense - a sympathy with the underprivileged or an opposition or suspicion of those in power

-Pro prosecution - the aforementioned trust of authority figures, belief in a just world

Question 33

Stealing thunder

Answer 33

Enhancing speaker credibility by letting the listener know both sides of a story

Question 34

Direct examination

Answer 34

The plantiff’s attorney questioning the witness to get the witness to testify about facts that supports the plaintiff’s case

Question 35

Cross examination

Answer 35

When the defendant’s attorney tries to undermine or impeach the witness’s credibility

Question 36

Process of discovery

Answer 36

-The pretrial phase in a lawsuit in which each party can obtain evidence from the opposing party by means of discovery devices including requests for answers to interrogatories, requests for production of documents, admissions and depositions