UNIT #1: introduction to forensic psychology

Question 1

Clinical forensic psychologists

Answer 1

Broadly concerned with the assessment and treatment of mental health issues as they pertain to the law or legal system

Question 2

Daubert Criteria

Answer 2

A standard for accepting expert testimony, which states that scientific evidence is valid if the research upon which it is based has been peer reviewed, is testable, has a recognized rate of error, and adheres to professional standards

Question 3

Experimental forensic psychologists

Answer 3

Psychologists who are broadly concerned with the study of human behaviour as it relates to the law or legal system

Question 4

Expert witness

Answer 4

A witness who provides the court with information (often an opinion on a particular matter) That assists the court in understanding an issue of relevance to a case

Question 5

Forensic Psychiatry

Answer 5

A field of medicine that deals with all aspects of human behaviour as it relates to the law or legal system

Question 6

Forensic psychology

Answer 6

A field of psychology that deals with all aspects of human behaviour as it relates to the law or legal system

Question 7

General acceptance test

Answer 7

A standard for accepting expert testimony, which states that expert testimony will be admissible in court if the basis Of the testimony is generally accepted within the relevant scientific community

Question 8

Mohan Criteria

Answer 8

A standard for accepting expert testimony, which states that expert testimony will be admissible in court if the testimony is relevant, is necessary for assisting the trier of fact, does not violate any exclusionary rule, and is provided by a qualified expert

Question 9

Psychology and the law

Answer 9

The use of psychology to examine the operation of the legal system

Question 10

Psychology in the law

Answer 10

The use of psychology in the legal system as the system operates

Question 11

Psychology of the law

Answer 11

The use of psychology to examine the law itself

Question 12

Discuss The difficulty in defining the nature of forensic psychology

                                     (4)

Answer 12

1. There is no general accepted Definition of the field.
2. There is a debate on whether it should be narrowly or more broadly defined.
3. Narrow definitions focus on certain aspects of the field while ignoring other, potentially important, aspects.
4. The broad definition does not restrict forensic psychology to Applied issues and, it also focusses on the research that is required to inform Applied practice.

Question 13

Describe the different types of clinical activities in which forensic psychologists might engage

                           (5)

Answer 13

• Conducting divorce and child custody mediation
• Providing expert testimony on questions of a psychological nature
• carrying out personal selection (e.g. for law-enforcement agencies)
• Conducting critical incident stress debriefings with police officers
• Facilitating treatment programs for offenders

Question 14

Describe the different types of experimental activities in which forensic psychologists might engage

                            (5)

Answer 14

• Examining the effectiveness of risk-assessment strategies
• Determining what factors influence jury decision making
• Developing and testing better ways to conduct eyewitness lineups
• Evaluating offender and victim treatment programs
• Examining the effect of stress management interventions on police officers

Question 15

What is the difference between a forensic psychologist and a forensic psychiatrist?

                                  (3)

Answer 15

(1) Both are trained to assess and treat individuals experiencing mental health problems who come into contact with the law.
(2) Forensic psychiatrists are medical doctors who undergo training that is quite different.
(3) Psychiatrists have certain privileges that forensic psychologist do not have such as their ability to prescribe medication to treat mental illnesses.

Question 16

Differentiate “psychology in the law” from “psychology of the law”

Answer 16

(1) Psychology in the law is the use of psychology in the legal system as that system operates.
(2) psychology of the law is the use of psychology to examine the law itself.

Question 17

Cite and discuss five points in history that were important in the development of modern forensic psychology.

Answer 17

(1) early research on testimony and suggestibility - James Cattell conducted experiments looking at what would later be called the psychology of eyewitness testimony.
(2) Alfred Binet - Conducted numerous studies in which he showed testimony provided by children was highly susceptible to suggestive questioning techniques.
(3) William Stern - conducted experiments examining suggestibility of witnesses and found testimony of participants often incorrect.
(4) court cases in Europe- psychologists started to appear as experts in court - Albert Von Schrenck-Notzing Was the first expert witness to provide testimony in court about affect of pretrial publicity on memory
(5) Julian Varendonck- Offered conclusion to court that testimony provided by children was likely in accurate and children prone to suggestion

Question 18

Cite And discuss five Canadian legal cases that have had a significant influence on forensic psychology

Answer 18

1) R v. Williams - The SCC formally acknowledges that jurors can be biased by numerous sources, ranging from community sentiment on a particular issue to direct involvement with a case (e.g., being related to the accused).
2) R v. MOHAN - SCC defined criteria for determining when testimony of expert witnesses will be admitted in court.
3) R v. OICKLE - SCC Rules police interrogation techniques using various forms of psychological coercion acceptable and confessions extracted Through their use are admissible in court.
(4) R. v. LAVALLEE - SCC sets guidelines for when/how expert testimony should be used in cases involving battered woman syndrome.
(5) R. v. GLADUE - SCC Rules prison sentences being relied on too often by judges as a way of dealing with criminal behaviour especially for aboriginal offenders; other options should be considered.

Question 19

Outline three major theories about the cause of crime

Answer 19

(1) Sheldon’s constitutional Theory-
(2) Merton’s strain theory
(3) social learning theory

Question 20

What are some signs that forensic psychology has matured as a field of psychology?

                  (5)

Answer 20

(1) growing number of high-quality textbooks in area provide opportunity to teach students.
(2) Numerous academic journals now dedicated to various aspects of the field.
(3) more mainstream psychology journals beginning to publish research from forensic domain at a regular rate.
(4) New training opportunities in Forensic psychology being established and existing opportunities being improved.
(5) APA formally recognized forensic psychology as a specialty discipline in 2001.

Question 21

What are some topics that are routinely addressed by forensic psychologists acting as expert witnesses?

                     (5)

Answer 21

• Custody issues
• malingering and deception
• accuracy of eyewitness identification
• effects of crime on victims
• assessment of dangerousness

Question 22

What are the functions of an expert witness?

2

Answer 22

(1) provide the court with information that assists in understanding a particular issue.
(2) provide the court with an opinion.

Question 23

The disciplines of law and psychology have significant differences. Briefly describe five of these dimensions.

                       (5)

Answer 23

(1) Knowledge
(2) methodology
(3) criteria
(4) principles
(5) latitude: The goal of psychology is to describe how people behave. Lawyers convince judges and juries their explanation of findings is the only correct explanation.

Question 24

Discuss the different standards that have developed to guide the threshold of acceptance of expert testimony.

                  (3)

Answer 24

(1) Daubert Criteria- Scientific evidence is valid if the research on which it is based has been peer reviewed, is testable, has a recognized rate of error, and adheres to professional standards.
(2) General acceptance test - expert testimony will be admissible if basis of testimony is generally accepted within the relevant scientific community.
(3) Mohan criteria - expert testimony will be admissible in court if: testimony is relevant, necessary for assisting the trier of fact, does not violate any exclusionary rules, provided by qualified expert.

Question 25

Sheldon’s constitutional Theory

Answer 25

Crime is largely a product of an individual’s body type or somatotype. Assumed to be linked to an individual‘s temperament.

Question 26

Merton’s strain theory

Answer 26

• crime is largely a product of strain felt by certain individuals in society. Typically by the lower-class who have restricted access to legitimate means of achieving valued goals of success.

Question 27

social learning theory

Answer 27

crime is learned the same way that non-criminal behaviour is learned. The likelihood of becoming a criminal increases with individuals who favour anti-social attitudes

Question 28

The disciplines of law and psychology have significant differences. Briefly describe:

Knowledge

x2

Answer 28

(1) In psychology this is accomplished through Cumulative research.
(2) In law it comes through legal precedent, logical thinking, and case law.

Question 29

The disciplines of law and psychology have significant differences. Briefly describe:

Criteria

x2

Answer 29

(1) Psychology is cautious regarding willingness to Accept something as true. To accept hypothesis, results must be replicated, and conservative statistical criteria are used.
(2) The Law decides what is true based On a single case and criteria that are often more lenient.

Question 30

The disciplines of law and psychology have significant differences. Briefly describe:

Methodology

x2

Answer 30

(1) In psychology the goal is to uncover broad patterns and general trends through use of controlled experiments and statistical methods.
(2) In law the goal operates on a case-by-case basis.

Question 31

The disciplines of law and psychology have significant differences. Briefly describe:

Principles

x2

Answer 31

(1) The goal of psychology is to describe how people behave.
(2) Lawyers convince judges and juries their explanation of findings is the only correct explanation.

Question 32

The disciplines of law and psychology have significant differences. Briefly describe:

Latitude
x2

Answer 32

(1) The behaviour of the psychologist when acting as an expert witness is severely limited by the court.
(2) The law imposes fewer restrictions on the behaviour of lawyers (though they are also restricted in numerous ways).