Introduction - Forensic Psychology - Lecture Notes, Study notes of Psychology

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FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY

Forensic Psychology – An Introduction

Forensic Psychology and the Criminal

Justice System in Ireland

Aims

 Understand the alliance between psychology and law.

 Describe forensic psychology and criminal psychology and where forensic

psychologists are employed.

 Explain the difficulties with defining “crime” and describe the various

views on defining crime.

 Examine some of the issues associated with the criminal justice system in

Ireland.

 Gain an insight into the background of an Irish “prisoner”.

Forensic Psychology – An

Introduction

• Criminal Psychology is the study of criminal behaviour (Howitt, 2009). The term “forensic” is generally used to refer to psychologists who work with offenders, and/or victims of crime. Forensic psychology is concerned with the application of psychological principles within the judicial system, as it examines the interface between criminal justice and psychology.
• Wrightsman (2001) regards forensic psychology as “any application of psychological knowledge or methods to a task faced by the legal system”.
• The focus of this course places an emphasis on the practical application of psychological theory in a forensic environment. The course aims to train students to apply psychological insights, concepts and skills to the understanding and functioning of the legal and criminal justice system.

Roles of the Forensic Psychologist

• Haward (1981) – Forensic Psychology – roles of psychologists in criminal proceedings include clinical, experimental, actuarial and advisory roles.

Clinical Role – Clinical interviewing, psychological assessments/evaluations, question of psychological disorder, psychometric testing, etc.

Experimental Role – Experiments for the defence/prosecution –eye witness testimony.

Actuarial Role – Statistical probabilities to behavioural data. Probabilistic reasoning. The incidence of a given human event in an appropriate sample of the population, i.e. young male drivers.

Advisory Role – Examining the evidence of other experts. Advice to defence/prosecution. Investigative psychology.

Crime

 Crime is a term that is relative and culturally defined – although it exists among all social classes, both the type of crime committed and the extent to which the law is enforced vary, i.e. t is punished.

 No single definition exists - Various definitions –influenced by public opinion.

• An act punishable by law (English Dictionary)
• An act, which is harmful to social well-being and is judged to be deserving of public attention through the application of State power (Giddens).
• Criminal behaviour is an act that violates criminal law and may therefore be followed by criminal proceedings and attracts the appropriate punishment. (Hollin, 1999)
• Anything forbidden or punishable by the criminal justice system. (Feldman, 1993)

Defining Crime - Hollin (1999)

• The Consensus View
• Functionalist perspective from sociological research. The idea of society

functioning as the member respects a whole, and norms, rules and values because of consensus or agreement’s of that society. The majority in that society meets a crime with disapproval.

Defining Crime - Hollin (1999)

• The Internationalist View
• The Interactionalist view lies between the consensus view and the conflict view. It

began with “symbolic internationalism” (Blumer, 1969) and focuses on meaning. The behaviour of an individual is guided by their interpretation of reality and the meaning events have for them. The meaning is learned from the way other people react, (positive or negative) towards any given person or situation. Therefore, one’s behaviour is made according to the meanings learned and acquired from others.

Criminal Justice System

• The criminal justice system is complex, but in essence,

promotes law abiding behaviour and discourages law-breaking

behaviour. There are many components to and issues associated

with the criminal justice system, i.e.

• Types of crime – murder, rape, theft, fraud, public order, etc.
• Recording and classification of crime
• Crime prevention,
• Imprisonment
• Penal policy
• Sentencing
• Case law decisions, etc

Crime and Mental Illness

• M’Naghten Rules (Not guilty by reason of insanity) – 1843
  • Daniel McNaughton – charged with shooting the Prime Minister’s secretary in the belief that it was the Prime Minister himself - House of Lords laid down the rules:
• “Labouring under such a defect of reason, from disease of

the mind as not to know …..

• The nature and quality of the act he was doing, or if he

did know

• That he did not know he was doing what was wrong
• (Actus Rea – Guilty Act…………..Mens Rea – Guilty Mind)

Mountjoy Prison Study

• Reference: Crime & Punishment in Ireland, 1993
• Reference: O' Mahony, M. (1997), Mountjoy Prisoners: A Sociological and Criminological Profile. Government Publications.

 Paul O Mahony, (1986, 1997) – Study of the personal, social and criminal backgrounds of a sample of Mountjoy prisoners.

 Sample survey in Mountjoy prison – use of structured interview and the Dublin Criminal Record.

 1986 -Sample was 95 male prisoners. (N=110) aged 18-65 years.

 1996 - Sample was 108 male prisoners. (N=124) aged 19-58 years

 1986 -Average age of offenders was 27 years

 1996 -Average age of offenders was 28 years

 Majority under 25 in both studies