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forensic Flashcards

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1
Q

forensic psychology

A

psychological principles that are applied to different stages of the criminal justice system

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2
Q

crime

A

unlawful behaviour punished by the state. harmful to society.

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3
Q

problems with defining crime

A

it is a culturally relative concept - e.g polygamy. it also changes over time - e.g smacking your kids

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4
Q

offender profiling

A

analysing behaviour/ circumstances of the crime scene to profile characteristics of an unknown offender

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5
Q

top down approach to offender profiling

A

pre established typology of offenders looked at and works down to the details of the crime scene placing them into one of two categories.

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6
Q

organised offenders

A

socially/ sexually competent with high IQ. targets specific victim. evidence is destroyed, planned.

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7
Q

disorganised offenders

A

of low intelligence that does spur of the moment attacks and leaves evidence. unplanned, usually known to victim

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8
Q

top down approach study by FBI

A

1978 - data gathered from interviews with 36 sexually motivated murderers.
found disorganised and organised offenders

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9
Q

limitation of top down approach

A

based on restricted data from 36 ppts. unrepresentative of typical offenders. Godwin (2002) argues that one killer may posses traits from both so info is not valid. means they cannot be applied to whole offending population

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10
Q

strength of top down approach

A

support for organised offender. Canter - analysis of 100 US murders by diff killers. used statistical tech to identify behaviour across crimes and found correlations analysing aspects of killings. set of features for organised killers. however, not for disorganised.

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11
Q

limitation too top down approach - personality

A

based on consistent behaviour. should mean they can link crimes together to catch offender. however, Mischel (1968) said behaviour is driven more by situation. this means patterns at crime scenes tell us little about the offenders regular behaviour

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12
Q

bottom up approach

A

profilers work up from the evidence collected from the crime scene to develop characteristics of offenders

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13
Q

investigative approach

A

statistical analysis of offender behaviour.

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14
Q

interpersonal coherence

A

the way an offender behaves at the scene may indicate everyday life.

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15
Q

significance of time and place

A

may indicate where offender lived if taken place in same forensic “centre of gravity”

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16
Q

forensic awareness

A

focus on those who have already been in police’s interest. behaviour may show how mindful they are in covering their tracks

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17
Q

geographical approach

A

spatial consistency. Rosmo found they commit crimes in circles. can make inferences about where they live and where they strike next.

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18
Q

marauder

A

offender lives in geographical area

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19
Q

commuter

A

travels to other area to commit crime

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20
Q

strength of bottom up approach

A

evidence to support investigative psychology. Canter - 66 sexual assault cases, behaviours were identified as common. helps see if offences were commit by same person. shows people are consistent in behaviour

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21
Q

weakness to the bottom up approach

A

offender profiling has a mixed history of being accurate. served 48 police departments and advice by profilers was proven 83% useful - valid. same studies showed 3% of cases lead to accurate identification. Rachel nickel shows profiling can be misused - should be more skeptical

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22
Q

atavistic form

A

criminals lack evolutionary development. biologically different and can’t survive society without turning to crime.

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23
Q

features of atavistic form

A

strong jaw, high cheeks, dark skin, long ears, extra toes

24
Q

atavism

A

re-occurrence of an ancestor in a subsequent generation

25
Q

Lombrosos research into atavism

A

389 dead 3839 living criminals examined. 40% criminals had atavistic characteristics

26
Q

strength of atavistic form

A

changed the study of crime. he defined criminology. he made it scientific. attempted to show how particular people commit particular crimes. he made a major contribution to criminology.

27
Q

negative of atavistic form - racism

A

work has been viewed as racist identified criminals would have dark hair and dark skin. traits commonly seen in african descent. viewed them as uncivilised, savage supports views of the race at the time. he may not have intended it but there’s still racial undertones

28
Q

negative atavistic form

A

contradictory evidences. goring 1913 - comparison of 6000 criminals and non criminals.,no evidence that offenders possessed unusual physical characteristics. however do have lower IQ. limited support of criminals subspecies. questions key elements of atavistic form

29
Q

genetic explanation for offender behaviour

A

DNA strands that produce our physical features
brain scans show murderers have a lack of activity in prefrontal cortex - keeps our behaviour in check. Raine - 11% reduction in grey matter

30
Q

neural explanation of offender behaviour

A

dysfunctions in the brain. criminals diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder. usually associated w lack of empathy.

31
Q

Twin studies as an explanation for genetic offender behaviour

A

33% of MZ twins also had a twin in prison
13% DZ twins - shows that MZ have more similar genes

32
Q

negative of genetic explanation

A

MZ twins have more similar genes as they are identical and from the same egg. Shows that genetics can have an impact on criminal behaviour. however, could be due to them getting treated the same as they look the same.

33
Q

poistive of genetic explanation

A

higher conviction rates in adoptees w convicted biological parents. they had nothing to do w upbringing so is due to their genetics.

34
Q

positive of neural explanation

A

evidence shows impaired frontal lobe links to compulsive behaviour showing that once they have offended they may struggle to stop which is why so many people re-offend.

35
Q

negative of neural explanation

A

if we cannot control our behaviour due to impaired frontal lobe then this is unfair as it goes against our justice system that says we are responsible for our own actions however this explanation states we personally cannot control them if we have an impaired frontal lobe

36
Q

eysnecks psychological explanation

A

introversion extraversion - underactive NS
psychoticism- sociability - high testosterone
neuroticism- stability - overactive sympathetic NS.

37
Q

differential association theory

A

offending learned through interactions.
attitudes - ideas towards crime
act - learning techs of crime

38
Q

pro criminal attitude - DAT

A

someone who socialises w more criminals so believe it is acceptable. more likely to go onto offend

39
Q

learning criminal acts DAT

A

techs for particular crimes e.g. inmates learn from eachother in prison

40
Q

positive of DAT - explains crime

A

explains within all sectors of society. Sutherland saw certain crimes matched certain classes. e.g. middle class corporate crime. helps us understand different crimes in society

41
Q

strength of DAT - social circumstances

A

moves emphasis away from biological and psychological. social circumstances and environment may be more to blame. more positive and realistic as shows problems and solutions for crimes

42
Q

limitation of DAT

A

not everyone exposed to crime goes onto commit. Sutherland made stereotypes that everyone from criminal societies are criminal. ignores that people may chose not to offend. environmentally deterministic.

43
Q

psychodynamic explanation to offending behaviour

A

Blackburn - criminal behaviour comes from inadequate superego.
Bowlby’s 44 thieves also links to criminal behaviour.

44
Q

3 types of inadequate superego

A

weak superego - same sex parent absent in phallic stage = criminal behaviour likely
deviant superego - child internalises immoral values due to upbringing
over- harsh superego - needs satisfying and gives constant guilt.

45
Q

limitation of of psychological explanation - gender bias

A

freud suggests girls have weaker superego as no castration anxiety. so less pressure to resolve conflict w mum. however, research shows men are 20x more likely to offend. Hoffman found little girls have higher moral values. does not support theory

46
Q

limitation of psychodynamic explanation - unfalsifiable

A

not open to empirical testing. can only be judged on face value and there is no supporting evidence. does not offer scientific explanation or support

47
Q

strength of psychodynamic explanation

A

link between superego and offending. Goreta - freudian analysis of 10 offenders needing psych care. all had disturbances in superego. explained this was a consequence of over harsh superego. supports role of superego in crime,,

48
Q

custodial sentencing

A

a decision made by court as s punishment to crime. involves custody e.g. being in prison

49
Q

deterrence

A

unpleasant experience designed to put off the individual and rest of society from offending/ re-offending.

50
Q

incapacitation

A

offender taken out of society to protect public.

51
Q

retribution

A

revenge for offence by making them suffer. level of suffering is same level of offence.

52
Q

rehabilitation

A

reform offenders to get ready to go back into society.

53
Q

psychological effects of custodial sentencing

A

stress/depression - high suicide rates
institutionalisation - can no longer fit into society as used to prison
prisonisation - socialising in prison in a way that is unacceptable in society

54
Q

recedivism

A

reoffending.
shows how effective custodial sentencing is

55
Q

limitation custodial sentencing - neg effect on prisoners

A

prison can be demeaning. 119 ppl killed thne selves in prison - 32% increase. most at risk = men first 24 hours. prison regimes can have detrimental effect on mental health

psychology a level (16 decks)

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