Forensic Psychology

Fact and Fiction

Thomas Davis

• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN:
  9781352011210
• Edition: 1
• eBook ISBN:
  9781350312319
• Topic: Psychology
• Subtopic: Forensic Psychology
• Index: Psychology

This fascinating and research-led textbook gives students the facts and the tools they need to engage critically with the psychological dimension of the criminal justice system. Accessibly written and packed with the latest psychological research, Forensic Psychology: Fact and Fiction is an engaging and wide-ranging exploration of both foundational and contemporary issues. The book prepares students to weigh up evidence and arguments, and reach their own conclusions about the issues and questions that have led them to study forensic psychology. Forensic Psychology: Fact and Fiction gives students all they need to get to grips with debates about the link between mental fitness and criminal responsibility, the purposes and effectiveness of punishment, and the use of police force, and others. It places psychology at its heart, combining research with legal perspectives to give the full picture. Drawing on global research and examples, students are given insights into what differs and what remains the same across jurisdictions and borders. Real-life case studies illustrate forensic concepts, allowing students to see how psychology is applied to criminal behaviour and the response of society to it. This comprehensive introduction is ideal for undergraduate students taking a course in forensic psychology. Balancing clarity and rigor, the book takes the student on a journey from the fundamental concepts through to the application of psychology to forensic techniques.

PART I

WHAT IS FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY?

1What is Forensic Psychology?

CHAPTER
1	WHAT IS FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY?

Chapter Introduction

Forensic psychologists apply knowledge of the mind and human behaviour to the criminal justice system. Their goal is to reveal the mysteries that drive criminal behaviour and to improve the lives of those affected by crime. Forensic psychology offers insights into the origins of criminal behaviours by drawing on a century of psychological research. If your knowledge about this field is from entertainment media, then plan to have your expectations challenged. The truth is there’s more than profiling serial killers and investigating crime scenes. In reality, forensic psychology is more complex and fascinating. Successfully navigating this complex field of study requires sharp critical thinking skills and a sceptical mind. While all forensic psychologists work in the intersection of psychology and law, their daily roles differ significantly.

Learning Outcomes

What is forensic psychology?

•Compare the goals of forensic psychology with other closely related fields.

The roots of forensic psychology

•Describe how forensic psychology fits into the larger field of psychology.

Thinking like a scientist

•Explain how the scientific method is used to make better decisions.

Roles and responsibilities of a forensic psychologist

•Describe the skills and areas of application of forensic psychologists.

WHAT IS FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY?

FICTION: Forensic psychology is the practice of offender profiling.

Versus

FACT: Forensic psychology involves evaluations of mental competency, ability to stand trial, working with witnesses, designing interventions to reduce offender recidivism and ways to help victims of violent crime.

Why do we need forensic psychology?

•Australia, 2018: The rape and murder of 22-year-old Melbourne comedian Eurydice Dixon by James Todd shocked Australia. Todd had stalked Dixon for more than 2.5 miles as she walked home before murdering her. This case sparked rage over victim blaming and women’s lack of safety in public spaces (Cooper, 2018).

•Canada, 1987: Kenneth Parks drove 14 miles to his in-laws’ house and let himself in. He beat his mother-in-law with a tyre iron and stabbed her repeatedly with a kitchen knife. Although his mother-in-law died, Parks was cleared of all charges. The verdict was that he had no motive and was found to have been sleepwalking during the entire attack (Harvey, 2018).

•United States, 1932: Aviator Charles Lindbergh’s 20-month-old son was kidnapped from his cot and later found murdered. The nation was fascinated by the crime and the two years of police work that followed. Bruno Richard Hauptmann, a German carpenter, was eventually convicted and executed for the crime. He never confessed. But, before the trial was over, more than 200 other people did (Herbert, 2009).

•United Kingdom, 2001: An innocent suspect (Barry George) was convicted of murdering Jill Dando after witnesses discussed the case with each other and changed their minds based on the information that only one witness presented. After the discussion, an eyewitness went from being ‘uncertain’ to ‘ninety-five per cent sure’ that George was the correct suspect (Sturke, 2009).

These four stories reveal the global nature and scope of forensic psychology. Forensic psychology studies a range of behaviours from blaming the victims of violent crimes, sleepwalking homicide and voluntary false confessions, to the uncertainty of eyewitness memories. Yet, for all its mainstream popularity, forensic psychology remains a puzzling mix of fact and fiction.

Why are we fascinated with crime and criminal behaviour? Are we, as Sigmund Freud believed, repressing evil passions deep within our subconscious? A more likely explanation is that criminal behaviour both frightens and fascinates us, making us curious about the origins of these behaviours. We enjoy watching legal dramas because they play upon the clash between good versus evil; and critical pieces of evidence appear at the last minute and clever lawyers always prevail and save the day for their clients (typically in under an hour). In the same way, the entertainment media portrays crime-related jobs as adrenaline-fuelled careers. The media’s portrayal of forensic psychology shows the public’s genuine concern and naive fascination with the criminaljustice system, often exaggerating the frequency of some aspects of the field, such as serial killers or criminal profiling, while ignoring its true scientific base (Grogan and Woody, 2016; Ramos, Ferguson and Frailing, 2016; Wheeler et al., 2018). Despite the convoluted and often outright mistaken portrayals of forensic psychology in the media, its presence has raised awareness and inspired interest in the field (Loh, 1981).

Defining forensic psychology

Forensic psychology

– A field of psychology that applies the production and application of psychological knowledge to criminal justice systems.

Forensic psychology applies the production and application of psychological knowledge to criminal justice systems (Weiner and Hess, 2006). It includes activities as varied as courtroom testimony, child custody evaluations, law enforcement candidate screenings, treatment of offenders in correctional facilities, and research in the area of offender behaviour. Psychologists interested in this line of applied practice work in prisons, rehabilitation centres, police departments, law firms, schools, government agencies or in private practice, to name a few (Freedheim, 2003).

Forensic psychology supplies important missing elements when solving a criminal case. Professionals in this field are often able to help narrow the suspect list or provide a motive for a crime. In some cases, the expert testimony of a forensic psychologist might be the last piece of the puzzle when trying to convict a suspect. Forensic psychology is also an important part of crime prevention. Professionals in this field might be called upon to design rehabilitation programmes for offenders to help them become law-abiding citizens. Research on offender and victim risk can also identify situations and people who have the potential to commit crimes (DeMatteo, Fairfax-Columbo and Desai, 2019).

Test yourself: the facts and fictions of forensic psychology	True or false?
1. All imprisoned offenders suffer from mental illness
2. Eyewitnesses are the most reliable source of case-related information
3. Forensic psychology is the same as forensic science
4. Lie detectors used by trained technicians can detect lies
5. Human memory works like a video camera
6. Mentally ill suspects should be treated the same as those who are not mentally ill
7. Most jurors follow the judge’s instructions
8. A person cannot have a memory of something that never happened
9. People only confess when they have actually committed the crime they are being charged with
10. The key component of forensic psychology is criminal profiling
11. Long jail terms are the best way to prevent future crimes
12. Unlike the rest of us, police can tell when a suspect is lying
13. Victims of violent crime are never blamed for the crimes they suffer from

Note: The answer to all these questions is ‘false’.

Forensic psychology is often confused with criminology, crime scene investigation and forensic science. These ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Seriespage
• Titlepage
• Copyright
• Brife Contents
• Contents
• List of Figures
• List of Tables
• List of Features
• About the Author
• Tour of the Book
• Digital Resources
• Preface
• Author’s Acknowledgements
• PART I:WHAT IS FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY?
• PART II:GETTING ACCURATE INFORMATION
• PART III:GETTING TRUTHFUL INFORMATION
• PART IV:APPLYING PSYCHOLOGY TO FORENSIC TECHNIQUES
• Glossary
• References
• Index