FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY

Definition: FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY is the application of psychology to the criminal justice system.

Forensic Psychology is used in: treating mentally ill offenders consulting with attorneys (e.g., on picking a jury) analyzing a criminal's mind and intent practicing within the civil arena

Jury Consulting Work with attorneys in selecting jurors, analyzing the potential verdicts of juries, and explaining actual trial verdicts.

Criminal Profiling work closely with local police and also federal agencies to create psychological profiles of defendants.

Some Important Terms in Forensic Psychology Competency: The mental condition of the defendant at the time of trial.

Insanity: Was a defendant mentally capable at the time an offense was committed.

Murder: a definition The unlawful killing of a human being with malice afterthought. Express Malice: kills someone without provocation. Implied Malice: results from negligent or unthinking behavior: Innocent bystander killed DWI deaths

1st degree murder: premeditation and deliberation. 2nd degree murder: no premeditation or deliberation, but a disregard for the victim’s life and a desire to inflict harm that results in the loss of life.

Manslaughter: Without Malice Involuntary: negligent behavior resulting in death. Voluntary: heat of passion, provoked to produce violence, meant to harm but not kill.

Justifiable Homicide Done in self defense Police officer shooting a felon Must be proven unavoidable and justifiable because of a perceived threat.

Excusable Homicide Unintentional killing or accident Behavior was NOT negligence Anybody would have done the same thing

Robbery Professional Robbers: long term commitment to crime as a means of making a living. They plan and organize their crimes. Opportunistic Robbers: steal to obtain small amounts of money when it is accessible and a vulnerable target presents itself. Alcoholic/ Addict Robber: steals to support drug habit. Picks a target with minimum risks.

Terrorism A violent act or threat is used for the prime purpose of creating fear for coercive purposes.

Expert Witness Forensic psychologists testify in court for both the defense and prosecuting attorneys about: the sanity and competency of defendants the accuracy of an eye witness child custody cases

Family Court Examples: Child Custody Evaluations Visitation Risk Assessments Mediation of Parental Conflicts about Children Child Abuse Evaluations Adoption Readiness Evaluations

Civil Court Personal Injury Evaluations Second Opinion Evaluations Assessment of Emotional Factors in Sexual Harassment and Discrimination Worker's Compensation Evaluations Civil Competency Evaluations

Criminal Court Evaluations of Juveniles accused of criminal acts Evaluating the Credibility of Child Witnesses Assessment of Juvenile and Adult Sexual Offenders Competency and Diminished Capacity Evaluations Adult Pre-sentencing Evaluations

Investigative Criminal Profiling Six Stages: Input Decision process models Crime assessment Criminal Profile Investigation Apprehension

Uses: to narrow the suspect list down to a workable size for the investigators to prevent personal whims from causing tunnel vision and causing the exclusion of viable suspects

Input Collect as much info about the crime as possible: Photographs History of victim Autopsy and police reports Interviews with witness/family/friends

Decision Process Models Classify the type of crime: Arson, burglary, homicide Killing spree or serial murder Isolated case or linked to others

Determining Motives Perpetrator’s intent: financial? Sexually motivated? Emotional? Psychological disorder?

Risk Level Age, lifestyle, ability to resist, occupation of victim. Was victim at high, medium, or low risk?

Crime Assessment Complete a crime reconstruction based on the behaviors of the criminal and the victim. Modus operandi Signature

Criminal Profile Develop a description of the suspect Race, sex, physical characteristics, habits, values, beliefs

Investigation Add criminal profile information to info already gathered by investigators. Evaluate suspects matching the profiler’s description.

Apprehension Interview and interrogate suspect Suspect is arrested if evidence links him/her to crime or if they confess.

Typological offender profiling Key ideas: There are different types of offender Behavioral evidence can tell us which type of offender committed a crime Knowing an offender’s type allows us to predict other things about him Generally used in cases of serial violence against strangers esp. sexual or ‘bizarre’

Types of crime scene Organised Disorganised General approach Planned and controlled Unplanned and chaotic Weapons Brought to the scene Improvised Evidence Destroyed or removed Left at scene Victim Attempts to control Little attempt at control Offender Unknown to victim Socially & sexually competent Normal/high intelligence Angry/depressed Possibly known to victim Socially & sexually inept Low intelligence Anxious/psychotic

Examples Serial Killer Profile: typically male between the ages of 25-35 is often married, has children, and works

White intellect ranges from below average to above average doesn't know his victims or have any particular hatred for them most of the time

Serial Murder Some roam the country killing: Ted Bundy Christopher Wilder Some terrorize 1 area: Green River killer BTK

Geographical profiling A set of techniques for making inferences about crime and criminals from the location and timing of offences.

Circle theory of environmental range A circle drawn to encompass all the crimes in a series is likely to contain the offender’s base (Canter & Larkin, 1993). Where should the police look for the offender responsible for the cluster between the underground line and Durnsford road?

Dragnet analysis

Routine activity theory Crimes occur when three circumstances coincide: A motivated offender A suitable (and vulnerable) victim Absence of a capable guardian Criminal offences are an extension of the offender’s normal activities, so will occur in places the offender makes regular use of

Mass Murder Kill many victims in a single violent outburst. Can be ordinary citizens driven to extreme acts. Typically exhibit sociopathic personalities, devoid of guilt or conscious about their behavior. 1966 Charles Whitman (14 deaths) 1984 James Huberty (21 deaths)

Rape: a desperate act that results when an emotionally weak and insecure individual is unable to handle the stresses and demands of his life.

Anger rape: Sexuality becomes a means of expressing and discharging pent up anger and rages. Usually a lot of brutality involved in attack. Spontaneous, not usually planned.

Power Rape Does not want to harm the victim as much a he wants to possess her sexually. Not as brutal or physical Usually done to reassure insecurities.

Roots of Violence Habitual aggressive behavior is learned Individual traits + environment+ social conditions = anti-social behaviors Physical and mental conditions predispose but do not cause some people to react violently.

Social Factors that can lead to violence include: Family disruption Relative deprivation Learning from deviant peers School failures Weakened bonds to conventional groups and norms

Sub-culture of Violence: Media Films/TV Non-violent reactors are often rejected by their peers Lack of guilt/personal honor