Forensic Psychological Assessment

Question 1

what is forensic assessment ?

Answer 1

this requires the psychologist to carry out an assessment on the offender t ensure they are handles with properly after being found guilty/not guilty

Question 2

why

Answer 2

to understand why the person committed the offence

what risk the offender presents

the treatment needs of the person

the persons treat ability and their readiness

Question 3

formulation

Answer 3

DEFINITION
a conceptual model representing an offenders various difficulties, the hypothesised underlying mechanisms and their interrelationships.

Question 4

what does it aim to do

Answer 4

psychological formulation aims to suggest what individual and systematic factors continue to maintain a person’s difficulties/offending behaviour

Question 5

when do we assess?

Answer 5

pre-sentence
admission
pre-treatment 
whilst in treatment 
post-treatment
follow up
pre-release 
post-release

Question 6

the process of assessment

Answer 6

information is gathered (police reports etc.)

engagement and collaboration (includes attending to the therapeutic relationship)

psychometric testing

psycho physiological assessments (PPG, polygraph)

clinical interviews

report writing and wider communication of findings

Question 7

role of psychometric testing

Answer 7

forensic psychologists are expected to be formally qualified in the used of forensic tests

choice of psychometric tests is dependant on the purpose of the assessment.

when reporting on tests, must articulate any limitations to the testing within the assessment process, including the reliability and validity of tests used critical and any problems with norms for the person tested.

Question 8

specialist assessment procedures

Answer 8

PPG

this is used to identify individuals sexual interests

moderately resistant to attempts at faking

measures changes in the circumference of the penis

POLYGRAPH

this is used as part of enhancing disclosure

a machine designed to detect and record changes in physiological characteristics, such as a person’s pulse and breathing rates, used especially as a lie detector.

Question 9

what do we assess?

Answer 9

consent

person’s goals and aspirations

social support

neurocognitive abiliities

developmental history

family background

social care history

trauma history

education and employment

psychosexual history

relationship (romantic or platonic)

mental health

personality

psychopathy

treatment history

offending history

attitudes towards offending

current mental state

Question 10

case study:SEX OFFENDERS

Answer 10

cultural norms and expectations –(e.g.-male dominance and sexual entitlement)

early life experiences including insecure attachments to people, sexual abuse and neglect

situational contingencies– parental separation,lack of appropriate role models

inter-generational issues of sex offending replicated and transmitted down the generations through processes of normalisation

Question 11

case study: MENTALLY DISORDERED

Answer 11

they are called patients not offenders

two groups:

• MENTALLY ILL-detached from their crime (bipolar, schizophrenic)
• PERSONALITY DISORDERED- routinely oppositional and aggressive, but less mad (antisocial, psychopathy)

Question 12

MDO’s

Answer 12

there are problems with distinction between MI and PD

Question 13

differences between MI and PD

Answer 13

A mental illness is characterized by the extremity of the traits

A personality disorder is characterized by the moderate character of the traits

A mental illness can develop in a relatively short time

Personality disorders are characterized by lifelong patterns

Mental illness and physical illness are comparable

A personality disorder can’t be compared to a physical illness

Question 14

MDOs and risk

Answer 14

MI are far more at risk from others and themselves

Question 15

specific symptoms of mental illness re controversial

Answer 15

the risk of violence increases with the presence of positive not negative symptoms

command hallucinations with violent content predict violence

delusions and hostile content predicts violence

treatment compliance reduces but does not eliminate risk

intimacy- most victims of violent crime are known to the perpetrator

Question 16

MAJOR DETERMINANTS OF VIOLENCE

Answer 16

socio-demographic and socio-economic factors

SOCIO-ECONOMIC

relating to or concerned with the interaction of social and economic factors.

SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC

relating to, or involving a combination of social and demographic factors

major determinants of violence continue to be socio-demographic and socio-economic factors such as being young, male and if someone is of lower socio-economic status

Question 17

The public

Answer 17

the public undoubtedly exaggerate both the strength of the relationship between major mental disorder and violence, as well as their own personal risk from the mentally ill.

it is more likely that people with a serious mental illness will be the victim of violence than the perpetrator of violence

Question 18

co-morbidity

Answer 18

-disease or condition

having a mental disorder more than doubled the risk of an alcohol disorder and increased four-fold the risk of drug abuse disorder.

Question 19

violence and substance misuse

Answer 19

alcohol is a major risk factor for violent offending

alcohol implicated in :
-40-60% of assaults and homicide

• 30-70% of rapes
• 40-80% of cases of domestic violence

illicit drug use is, in general, more likely to be associated with acquisitive offending and trafficking offences.

misuser’s not only have the highest proportion of violent behaviour but they committed more sever acts of violence and greater frequency

MACARTHUR VIOLENCE RISK ASSESSMENT STUDY(196) FOUND THAT:

MOST VIOLENT OFFENDING OCCURRED WITHIN ONE MONTH OF RELEASE FROM PSYCHIATRIC CARE.