History of Forensic Psychology Ancient Chinese lie detector 14 th century Europe: insanity and idiocy 16 th century Britain: expert witnesses 18 th century: –concept of competence introduced –Baccaria introduces proportionality

History (continued) 19 th century: –Professional assessors of competence –Wundt introduces scientific psychology –Ebbinghaus studies human memory –Schrenk-Nortzing: first forensic psychology case –Introduction of geographical profiling –Introduction of psychological testing

History (continued) 20 th century: –Nature/nurture controversy –Munstenberg introduces forensic psychology in civil cases 21 st century: –Professionalization of psychology –1932: 1 st forensic text –WWII: study of battle fatigue (PTSD)

History (continued) –1950’s: research on the validity and reliability of witnesses –1960’s: research on rape and child sexual abuse –1970’s Vietnam Vet’s syndrome (PTSD) –1980’s research on divorce –1980’s and 1990’s: studies on recovered memory syndrome –Today’s status of forensic psychology

Forensic Psychology Today Clinical/Police Human Relations Experts Social Counseling Correctional Behavioural specialists Organizational Developmental Pure & applied research Clinicians Consultation to police depts. Mediation for litigating parties Role-playing juries Risk assessment Competence/offender programs Profiling Assess social & penal programs Neglect, physical & sexual abuse Scientific data preparation Develop treatment programs PSYCHOLOGICAL INFORMATION TO FACILITATE LEGAL DECISION-MAKING

Theories of Crime (1) Classical school of criminology: Emphasized concept of free will People CHOSE to become criminals Positivist school of crimilogy: Use of the scientific method to determine causes of crime Biological theories: Constitutional theory: Sheldon Aggressive delinquents tend to be mesomorphs Usually because they were early adolescents

Theories of Crime (2) Nature/Nurture issue: Adoptive studies: Twin studies: H-factor What is inherited? Learning disabilities, frontal lobe issues and autonomic arousal problems, hormonal problems Impulsivity Difficulties learning Excessive emotional reactivity

Theories of Crime (3) Sociological theories: Structural problems in society Anomie Karen Horney: approach-approach and avoidance- avoidance conflicts (eg elevator experiment) Competition vs. brotherly love Theory of differential opportunity All people are equal but some more equal than others Credential society and the vertical mosaic

Theories of Crime (4) Reaction formation crime: Active rejection of middle-class values Rational crime: Reinforced behaviour for crime Eg. Welfare cheating Subcultural crime: Norms of the subgroup are different from the legislative majority (eg. Male and female circumcision)