Forensic Psychology

What is Forensic Psychology Forensic psychology is a field that deals with both psychology and the law. In many cases, people working within forensic psychology are not necessarily "forensic psychologists." These individuals might be clinical psychologists, school psychologists, neurologists or counselors who lend their psychological expertise to provide testimony, analysis or recommendations in legal or criminal cases.

Sexual Offenders: Treatment vs. Prison  30s through 70s thought treatment could solve this “psychological problem”.  During 80s, many “treated” released offenders continued to commit crimes  Many states switched focus to incarceration.

Psychology vs. Psychiatry Psychology - The science that deals with mental processes and behavior. Psychiatry - The branch of medicine that deals with the treatment of mental disorders.

Psychology vs. Psychiatry  Psychiatrist has medical degree (M.D.)  Before 1980s, psychologists testimony rarely used.

Forensic Psychologist  Can be a specific degree, which includes background in law and criminal behavior  Many forensic psychologists subspecialize. Forensic Psychology  Certified by American Board of Forensic Psychology.

Psychological Testing Attempt to remove subjectivity of clinical analysis Criticism of tests:  Don’t address legal issues.  Might not be accurate for one person.  Cannot test psychological functioning at time of the crime. Forensic Psychology

Psychological Testing (Projective Tests)  Rorschach test (inkblot test) Forensic Psychology

Rorschach test (inkblot test) Forensic Psychology

Rorschach test (inkblot test) Forensic Psychology

Rorschach test (inkblot test) Forensic Psychology

Rorschach test (inkblot test) Forensic Psychology

Rorschach test (inkblot test) Forensic Psychology

Rorschach test (inkblot test) Forensic Psychology

Psychological Testing (Projective Tests)  Rorschach test (inkblot test)  Thematic Application Test (TAT) Picture is shown; subject makes up story Forensic Psychology

Thematic Application Test (TAT) Forensic Psychology

Thematic Application Test (TAT) Forensic Psychology

Thematic Application Test (TAT) Forensic Psychology

Thematic Application Test (TAT) Forensic Psychology

Other personality tests assign a general personality or address a specific disorder. Psychological Testing (Other Tests) Forensic Applications:  Competence to stand trial  Competence to waive Miranda rights  Legal insanity Forensic Psychology

What are your Miranda Rights? You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you.

Psychiatrists also assess: Forensic Psychology > Forensic Psychiatry  Competency to stand trial  Legal insanity  Sentencing issues Psychologists may also be involved with evaluating these issues.

A story…. Here’s a chance to test your “novice” psychological profiling skills: I’ll give you the crime, you tell me whodunnit. Think in terms of demographics (age, sex, race) and personality and IQ Dec 24, 1990 the perpetrator drugs Tammy Homolka, age 15, with Halcion and Halothane and rapes her. The perpetrator, with a willing partner, photographs and videotapes the sex acts with the victim. Tammy vomits as a reaction to the drugs and suffocates. Mid-June 1991, Leslie Mahaffy (15) disappears after phoning a friend from a She is raped and tortured over two days, the proceedings videotaped. She is discovered piece by piece June 29. Nov Terry Anderson (14) vanishes April, 1992 Kristen French (16) abducted, raped and tortured over Easter Weekend. She is strangled, her nude body shorn of all hair and left in a ditch.

Which one is the serial killer?

Karla Homolka With the aid of her husband, rapes and kills first her sister, then three other girls. Attempts to blame her sexual predation on “battered wife syndrome” However: It is subsequently revealed that she is an equal partner in the murders. Most people believe that almost all violent offenders are male, when in fact women make up a sizable percentage (based on type of crime--15% overall, about 50% of intimates)

Clinical Forensic Psychology Jury Selection Consultation with Lawyers Expert Witness Competency Assessment Insanity Assessment Lethality Assessment Custody Assessment Researcher Law Enforcement Screening

Areas Psychologists Testify as an Expert Witness Commitment to mental hospitals Child custody issues Offender Treatment Programs Release from involuntary confinement Jury Selection Criminal Profiling Advice to attorneys regarding factors that will affect jurors’ behaviors Predicting dangerousness Rights of a mentally disabled person in an institution Competency to stand trial Criminal Responsibility (Insanity Defense) Battered Women

Insanity vs. Competence Relates to the defendants mental state at the time the offense occurs. Competence refers exclusively to the defendants mental abilities at the time of the proceeding.

What is Insanity? Mental illness of such a severe nature that a person… cannot distinguish fantasy from reality, cannot conduct her/his affairs due to psychosis, or is subject to uncontrollable impulsive behavior.

Famous Cases John Hinckley Shot President Ronald Reagan, in front of television cameras -- but declared “not guilty by reason of insanity” and sent to a mental institution.

Hinckley Developed an obsession of Jodi Foster, who played a child prostitute in the movie Taxi Driver Followed her to Yale University and stalked her for a short time, slipping poems and messages under her door and repeatedly contacting her by telephone.

Hinckley Failed to develop meaningful contact with Foster. Developed such plots as hijacking an airplane and committing suicide in front of her to gain her attention. Settled on a scheme to win her over by assassinating the president (just like the main character in Taxi Driver).

Hinckley Followed Jimmy Carter for a while until arrested in Nashville for firearms charges. He returned home once again. Despite psychiatric treatment for depression, his mental health did not improve.

Hinckley As of 1981 started to target newly- elected president, Ronald Reagan Started viewing Lee Harvey Oswald (Kennedy assassin) as hero

Hinckley Just prior to Hinckley's failed attempt on Reagan's life, he wrote to Foster "Over the past seven months I've left you dozens of poems, letters and love messages in the faint hope that you could develop an interest in me. Although we talked on the phone a couple of times I never had the nerve to simply approach you and introduce myself. [...] the reason I'm going ahead with this attempt now is because I cannot wait any longer to impress you."

Hinckley On March 30, 1981, Hinckley fired a.22 caliber Röhm RG-14 revolver six times at President Reagan, as he left the Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. after addressing an AFL-CIO conference. Wounded press secretary James Brady, police officer Thomas Delahanty and Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy. Bullet ricochet off the side of the limousine and hit President Reagan in the chest. All victims survived, but Brady -- hit in the right side of the head -- endured a long recuperation period and remained paralyzed on the left side of his body.

Hinckley At the trial in 1982, charged with 13 offenses Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity on June 21. The defense psychiatric reports found him to be insane while the prosecution reports declared him legally sane. Hinckley was confined at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Washington, D.C.

Hinckley The verdict led to widespread dismay The U.S. Congress and a number of states rewrote the law regarding the insanity defense. Idaho, Kansas, Montana, and Utah have abolished the defense altogether. Shortly after his trial, Hinckley wrote that the shooting was "the greatest love offering in the history of the world", and was upset that Foster did not reciprocate his love To this day still resides in St. Elizabeth's Hospital with limited freedoms.

McNaughten rule – England 1843  Not guilty by insanity if the person did not know what he was doing was wrong Legal Insanity After Hinckley, some states adopted “guilty but mentally ill”. Forensic Psychology > Forensic Psychiatry

 25 accredited programs in US  Certification by American Psychiatric Association (APA)  Involves taking a 1-yr. accredited program and passing examination  Forensic and correctional psychiatry are separate fields Training in Forensic Psychiatry Forensic Psychology > Forensic Psychiatry

Modus Operendi = criminal’s way of operating  Composed of many categories (Time of day, tools used, accomplices, etc.)  Some aspects of MO can change over time  Includes trademark or signature M.O. vs. Signature Forensic Psychology > Serial Offenders Signature = an unusual act in connection with a crime.