past exam papers

Question 1

Research has found that police officers have preconceived notions regarding mentally ill assailants, such as:

1. mentally ill assailants are more dangerous than their psychologically well counterparts.
2. they are more likely to commit future criminal offences.
3. they are more blameworthy.
4. All of the above.

Answer 1

4. All of the above.

Question 2

According to Shipley and Arrigo (2012) protection orders do not ensure safety of victims because

1. they are rarely applied for.
2. they increase the risk of violence.
3. many women return to the abusive relationship.
4. All of the above.

Answer 2

2. they increase the risk of violence.

Question 3

What is meant by the term “one man’s ‘terrorist’ is another man’s ‘freedom fighter’”?

1. There is no universal understanding of terrorism
2. There is a complex relationship between defence and aggression.
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer 3

3. Both 1 and 2

Question 4

According to Shipley and Arrigo (2012) exposure to violence increases the propensity toward becoming a perpetrator of cyberbullying, as such interventions should address issues related to:

1. the development of empathy for victims.
2. normative beliefs about violence.
3. peer relationships that promote positive social support.
4. All of the above.

Answer 4

4. All of the above.

Question 5

According to Shipley and Arrigo (2012) inmate violence is a product of psychologically stressful and oppressive prison conditions including:

1. prison segregation.
2. authoritarian attitudes of prison staff.
3. lack of prison programs.
4. All of the above.

Answer 5

4. All of the above.

Question 6

Shipley and Arrigo (2012) claim that police use of excessive force needs to be understood in relation to

1. psychological factors such as emotional and cognitive functions.
2. sociological factors such as gender, ethnicity and socioeconomic status.
3. Both 1 and 2.
4. Neither 1 nor 2.

Answer 6

3. Both 1 and 2.

Question 7

There are serious legal and ethical issues involved in the prediction of future violence because

1. clinical assessments demonstrate predictive accuracy only when the level and history of past behaviour is known.
2. actuarial assessment tools have predictive accuracy if they have been statistically normed.
3. risk assessments are statements of probability rather than accuracy.
4. All of the above.

Answer 7

3. risk assessments are statements of probability rather than accuracy.

Question 8

Terrorism marks a space between globalisation and isolationism where the psychology of terrorism is concerned with

1. alienation from culture.
2. similarities and differences in legal processes between countries.
3. international protection of economic trade.
4. None of the above.

Answer 8

4. None of the above.

Question 9

Most researchers agree that family law does not adequately acknowledge children’s emotional rights because

1. children are too vulnerable to be given emotional rights.
2. under the law every parent has a right to their child.
3. there tends to be a bias towards biological parents.
4. families are assumed to take responsibility for children’s emotional rights.

Answer 9

3. there tends to be a bias towards biological parents.

Question 10

Insanity and competence are entirely different legal constructs.

1. Insanity concerns the presence of mental illness and the individuals’ ability to function as a defendant
2. Competence concerns the presence of mental illness and the individuals’ ability to function as a defendant
3. Yet both concern the presence of mental illness and the individuals’ ability to function as a defendant
4. None of the above

Answer 10

3. Yet both concern the presence of mental illness and the individuals’ ability to function as a defendant

Question 11

The parens patriae doctrine allows courts to intervene in the best interests of the child whenever it is necessary. This doctrine

1. cannot guarantee placing a child into care is in the best interests of the child.
2. is more concerned with legal constructs than finding solutions to meaningful change within families.
3. does not provide sufficient resources to enable a transition back to family life.
4. All of the above.

Answer 11

4. All of the above.

Question 12

According to Shipley and Arrigo (2012), women working in male prisons

1. report higher job satisfaction than their male counterparts.
2. experience more job related stress than their male counterparts.
3. are viewed as too emotionally and physically weak by their male counterparts.
4. All of the above.

Answer 12

4. All of the above.

Question 13

Cyberbullying has emerged as a new form of bullying and

1. includes intentional and repetitive harm inflicted through the medium of text.
2. is not ‘real’ bullying because of physical distance.
3. there is little overlap between cyberbullying and traditional bullying.
4. All of the above.

Answer 13

1. includes intentional and repetitive harm inflicted through the medium of text.

Question 14

One of the problems with sexual violence rehabilitation programmes is that

1. a large number of sex offences are unreported, skewing recidivism rates.
2. both treatment and punishment proponents seek to reduce victimisation.
3. there is a lack of consensus as to the effectiveness of treatment.
4. None of the above.

Answer 14

1. a large number of sex offences are unreported, skewing recidivism rates.

Question 15

Research shows that offender reintegration into communities is hindered by

1. the mental health of offenders.
2. failure to complete parole programs.
3. the psychosocial effects of incarceration.
4. All of the above.

Answer 15

x

Question 16

The CSI effect refers to the claim that

1. jurors have unreasonable expectations of forensic evidence.
2. media representations of forensic science have caused changes in jury behaviour in criminal trials.
3. there has been a shift in the burden of proof from beyond reasonable doubt to beyond any and all doubt.
4. All of the above.

Answer 16

x

Question 17

Which statement best reflects the notion that risk assessment can be accurate in predicting future offending?

1. When risk assessments are based on professional training and experience, they are more likely to be accurate
2. Risk assessment is more likely to be accurate when based on actuarial data
3. Assessment based on both clinical and actuarial methods is accurate in predicting future offending
4. No predictive model can predict future offending with a high degree of certainty

Answer 17

x

Question 18

The age of criminal responsibility raises serious legal and ethical debates because:

1. despite a reduction in violent juvenile crime, there has been a trend toward punitive and retributive justice.
2. research shows that recidivism increases among youth who are transferred to adult facilities.
3. evidence shows racial and gender bias when transferring youth from juvenile to adult facilities.
4. All of the above.

Answer 18

x

Question 19

Using Arrigo’s (2013) Society of Captive’s Thesis discuss an ethical commitment to challenging the normalisation of violence

Answer 19

essay

Question 20

Read Article One: “Report suggests no juries in rape trials”. Discuss the implications of proposed Sexual Violence Law reforms by demonstrating your understanding using Frieberg’s (2010) arguments for non-adversarial justice, including therapeutic jurisprudence.

Answer 20

essay

Question 21

In Article Two: “Govt to consider raising Youth Court Age”, it states that Social Development Minister Ann Tolley does not recommend lifting the age, saying it might send a signal the government did not take offending by children seriously. Discuss this statement in relation to the issues and controversies raised by Shipley and Arrigo (2012) in Defining the Age of Criminal Responsibility (pp. 279-286).

Answer 21

essay

Question 22

Read Article Three: “85 prisoners have died while serving prison sentences” and discuss the issues and controversies raised by Shipley and Arrigo (2012) regarding how prison conditions impact the mental wellbeing of inmates AND correctional staff.

Answer 22

essay

Question 23

Police work stress can affect their psychological functioning but is unlikely to be reported because:

1. they have a fear of demotion.
2. they justify their coping strategies as socialising behaviours.
3. help seeking behaviour may lead to being seen as weak.
4. All of the above

Answer 23

x

Question 24

Intimate partner homicide accounts for approximately 40% of homicides in the United States (in NZ this is almost 50%).

Statement One: Women are more likely to kill their violent partner.

Statement Two: Women are more likely to be the victim of violence against them, no matter which partner is killed.

1. Both statements are true
2. Both statements are false
3. Statement One is true and Statement Two is false
4. Statement Two is true and Statement One is false

Answer 24

x

Question 25

Most researchers agree that family law does not adequately acknowledge children’s emotional rights because

1. under the law every parent has a right to their child.
2. there tends to be a bias towards biological parents.
3. children are too vulnerable to be given emotional rights.
4. families are assumed to take responsibility for children’s emotional rights.

Answer 25

x

Question 26

Research has found that police officers have preconceived notions regarding mentally ill assailants, such as:

1. mentally ill assailants are more dangerous than their psychologically well counterparts.
2. they are more likely to commit future criminal offences.
3. they are more blameworthy.
4. All of the above

Answer 26

x

Question 27

There are serious legal and ethical issues involved in the prediction of future violence because

1. clinical assessments demonstrate predictive accuracy only when the level and history of past behaviour is known.
2. actuarial assessment tools have predictive accuracy if they have been statistically normed.
3. risk assessments are statements of probability rather than accuracy.
4. All of the above

Answer 27

x

Question 28

Statement One: Psychologists require confidentiality to ensure the client will freely engage in therapy and protect the client from negative stigmatisation.

Statement Two: Psychologists have a duty to breach confidentiality when they predict that their client will be dangerous.

1. Both statements are true
2. Both statements are false
3. Statement One is true; Statement Two is false
4. Statement Two is true; Statement One is false

Answer 28

x

Question 29

Which statement best reflects the notion that risk assessment can be accurate in predicting future offending?

1. When risk assessments are based on professional training and experience, they are more likely to be accurate
2. Risk assessment is more likely to be accurate when based on actuarial data
3. Assessment based on both clinical and actuarial methods is accurate in predicting future offending
4. No predictive model can predict future offending with a high degree of certainty

Answer 29

x

Question 30

Research on a broad range of parent and child outcome measures found that

1. children raised in nuclear families are better adjusted than those raised in gay and lesbian families.
2. psychological and social adjustment differences were found between children of lesbian and heterosexual couples.
3. children’s well-being is more a function of parenting and relationship processes within the family than the sexual orientation of the parents.
4. None of the above

Answer 30

x

Question 31

Incarcerating youth in adult prisons for violent crime

1. gives them the same opportunities for rehabilitation as adults convicted of similar crimes.
2. ill prepares them for the outside world.
3. recognises the seriousness of violent crimes no matter who commits them.
4. None of the above

Answer 31

x

Question 32

Corrections officers work in conditions that are emotionally and physically demanding, which leads to job stress and burnout because of

1. role ambiguity.
2. inmate violence.
3. organisational demands.
4. All of the above

Answer 32

x

Question 33

Read Article One: “’Horrifying’ and ‘deeply shocking’ report into child abuse” and discuss how institutional duty of care relates to the issues and controversies raised by Shipley and Arrigo (2012) on the effects of violence on children (pp. 444-453) and parens patrae (pp. 470-481). Article one is on pages 8-10 of this exam paper.

Answer 33

essay

Question 34

Read Article Two: “All frontline police to carry tasers”. Discuss the issues and controversies raised by Shipley and Arrigo (2012) on the use of force pp. 165-173) in relation to communication skills and conflict resolution
(pp. 532-550). Article two is on pages 11-14 of this exam paper.

Answer 34

essay

Question 35

What are issues and controversies raised by Shipley and Arrigo (2012) on prison violence? Discuss the implications in relation to Article Three: “Stabproof vests for guards”. Article three is on page 15 of this exam paper.

Answer 35

essay

Question 36

Research has shown that the rate of incarceration of women in the US has rapidly increased in recent years. This is most likely due to

1. an increase in violent crime.
2. an increase in drug related offences.
3. a move to retributive justice.
4. All of the above.

Answer 36

x

Question 37

How does attention to negotiation build on an ethical commitment to social justice (Coombes & Te Hiwi, 2007)?

Answer 37

essay

Question 38

Read the attached article (pages 8 & 9) “Convicted paedophile sentencing awaits psychologist report” and discuss how it relates to Shipley and Arrigo’s (2012) section on expert testimony.

Answer 38

essay

Question 39

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett’s White Paper on Vulnerable Children has seen the Vulnerable Children Bill pass into law (see article attached “Child abuse bill passes into law” on pages 9 & 10). Discuss the implications of the proposed changes by demonstrating your understanding of parens patriae outlined by Shipley and Arrigo (2012, pp. 470-481).

Answer 39

essay

Question 40

What are the issues that police face when confronted with use of force? Discuss the issues and controversies Shipley and Arrigo (2012) raise in relation to the attached article “Police force used against man ruled excessive” (pages 11-13).

Answer 40

essay

Question 41

Read Article One: “Child abuser James Parker sentenced to preventive detention” and discuss how it relates to Shipley and Arrigo’s (2012) section on society’s reaction to sex offenders.

Answer 41

essay

Question 42

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett recently announced a plan for changes to child welfare legislation (see Article Two). Discuss the implications of the proposed changes by demonstrating your understanding of parens patriae AND the issues and controversies raised by Shipley and Arrigo (2012) on the effects of violence on children (pp. 444-453).

Answer 42

essay

Question 43

Discuss how the issues and controversies Shipley and Arrigo (2012) raise in the practice of violence risk assessment (pp. 33-42) are implicated in Article Three:
“Convicted Killer Phillip Layton Edwards Defends Himself Against Kidnapping Charge On Facebook”.

Answer 43

essay