Forensic Psychology Essays (Examples)

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Essay
Forensic Psychology Fulero S And
Pages: 4 Words: 1273


Profiling or Guessing- the role of criminal profiling is certainly one in the popular press and media. Television shows such as CSI or Bones ring the task of forensics into the mainstream living room, ut these shows tend to focus more on the sexier forms of criminology as opposed to the gray area of forensic psychology. A professional forensic psychologist, though, understands that a typical profile is not meant to e an exact science -- for example, white male, middle age, college educated, frustrated at work, may have had social adjustment issues while an adolescent -- we have just descried oth a typical serial killer as well as eighty percent of American males orn etween 1955-1970. Similarly, psychological autopsies, like forensic evaluations tend to e more narrowly focused, interested more in accuracy of events than supposition. For example, often suicides are cases in which a psychological autopsy would e conducted…...

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bibliography, and, whenever possible, adding to the general knowledge of the field as appropriate. In particular, this is important because the working forensic psychologist is in the "trenches" enough to find issues that need further research and explanation.

Syndromes and Child Abuse -- Battered women, PTSD, Rape Trauma and other syndromes are in the purview of the modern forensic psychologist and are often used to explain or elaborate on behaviors or victimology. Some of these theories remain controversial, yet it is important for the forensic psychologist to keep an open mind and aid in the defense of the battered victim during the trial situation, as well as support and recommend appropriate victim support and psychological therapy. In any scenario, child abuse issues are difficult, heartrending, and yet someone must stand up and become the advocate for the minor. There are four major roles that the forensic psychologist has within this construct: evaluation of the child, assessing competency and/or mental health to testify, helping to prepare the child for testimony, and testifying as an expert witness based upon a sound psychological examination of the child.

Essay
Forensic Psychology Review V Fulero
Pages: 3 Words: 1034


Chapter 12 -- Trial Consultation - The Forensic Psychologist is often called to aid in jury selection. One role, depending on stakeholder, is to assess potential jurors for the potential to be unbiased against the accused.

Often the consulting Forensic Psychologist will recommend to the Court that a fair trial cannot take place in a given location based on community bias or other factors. The psychological aspects of such a recommendation will need to be explained to the Court.

Sometimes the Forensic Psychologist will be asked to help prepare witnesses for testimony, to assist in case organization and presentation of data, and to measure jury bias and appropriate techniques for stakeholder. The key for the Forensic Psychologist is to serve the appropriate client; be that law enforcement, a particular case issue (on either side of the adversarial procedure), or, in many cases, to protect the best interests of society at large.

Chapter 13…...

Essay
Forensic Psychology - Intro to
Pages: 2 Words: 587

While "immediately following a crime a forensic psychologist may be asked to act as a criminal profiler" in the court system, the psychologist may be asked to evaluate the competency of a specific defendant in a criminal trial or to assess the level of mental harm done to the plaintiff in a civil trial (Decaire n.d). "Often a forensic psychologist is asked to make evaluations of defendants or plaintiffs' disability or level of trauma" (Decaire n.d.). In the juvenile court system, particularly in the case of a juvenile accused of a serious crime, a juvenile forensic psychologist would be asked to both evaluate the juvenile's state of maturity and/or provide suggestions about his or her needs. Finally, in a corrections or psychiatric facility, "the forensic psychologist in these institutions will often provide a range of therapies in order to control or eliminate the psychiatric disorder that has led to…...

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References

Decaire, M.W. (n.d.) Forensic psychology: The misunderstood beast.

http://www.uplink.com.au/lawlibrary/Documents/Docs/Doc23.html

Swart, J. (2010). Criminal psychology. Retrieved:

 http://www.forensic-psychology.net/index.php/subspecialties/8-criminal-psychology/8-criminal-psychology

Essay
Forensic Psychology Is a Relatively
Pages: 2 Words: 414

This contribution towards the evolution of this field gives more credence and attention to these practices, making this award important for everyone involved.
The education system is the starting point for many important subjects such as forensic psychology. The importance of making this particular discipline accepted and official allows the followers and subsidiaries of these streams of information a guide path to elaborate on their own studies on the matter. Some sciences that remain of the fringes often have a difficult time garnering any attention to their work if it has not been accepted by mainstream sources such as the APA. The science itself is very new and is continually being added to by new research and experiments. It is important to realize that it is in change and may experience some growing pains as it continues on its path.

eferences

Bartol, C.., & Bartol, a.M. (2012). Introduction to Forensic Psychology: esearch…...

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References

Bartol, C.R., & Bartol, a.M. (2012). Introduction to Forensic Psychology: Research and Application (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

Huss, M.T. (2001). What is forensic psychology? it's not silence of the lambs. Eye on Psi Chi. Retrieved from http://www.psichi.org/pubs/articles/article_58.aspx

Essay
Forensic Psychology From the Perspective of the
Pages: 2 Words: 669

Forensic Psychology
From the perspective of the forensic psychiatrist, suicide as a cause of death is particularly important in terms of its preventability. In many forensic settings, prior risk assessment for potential suicide victims can assist the psychiatrist in not only saving the lives of potential victims, but also in resolving crimes, preventing future crimes, or at the very least save uncountable grief and heartache to the families involved. The article by Borges et al. (2010) concerns a 12-month investigation of suicide risk on a cross-national basis. The global scale and long-term nature of this research might be expected to provide valuable information to forensic psychiatrists working in a clinical setting.

The purpose of the research was driven by a lack of data-driven methods for assessing suicide risks among clinical, criminal, and general populations. The 12-month epidemiological survey provided for the creation of a database to estimate the prevalence of suicidal behavior…...

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References

Borges, G., Nock, M.K., Haro Abad, J.M., Hwang, I., Sampson, N.A., Alonso, J., Andrade, L.H., Angermyre, M.C., Bautrais, A., Bromt, E., Bruffaerts, R., De Girolamo, G., Florescu, S., Lee, S., Levinson, D., Medina-Mora, M.E., Ormel, J., Posada-Villa, J., Sagar, R., Tomov, T., Uda, H., Williams, D.R., and Kessler, R.C. (2010, Dec.). Twelve Month Prevalence of and Risk Factors for Suicide Attempts in the WHO World Mental Health Surveys. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 71(12). Retrieved from:  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3000886/

Essay
Forensic Psychology & Child Custody
Pages: 2 Words: 584

" (Franklin, 2006, p.1) Assessed are personality factors and an attempt is made to determine which parents is closer to the children on a psychological level.
The children are evaluated as well in an examination that involves the psychological assessing he emotional connection of the child to each of the child's parents. As well the psychologist examines whether the children appear to have any psychological problems of a significant nature. School adjustment is examined as well are any behavioral problems at school and as well an examination is conducted regarding the child's involvement in school, the effects of the extended family and any stepfamily issues. Finally, the psychologist assesses whether the parents will be able to work cooperatively for the child's best interests. (Franklin, 2006, paraphrased)

The work of Mart (2006) entitled: "Getting Started in Forensic Psychology Practice" relates that the child custody evaluation typically includes the use of the 'Uniform Child…...

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Mart, E.G. (2006) Getting Started in Forensic Psychology Practice: How to Create a Forensic Specialty in Your Mental Health Practice. John Wiley and Sons, 2006.

Franklin, D. (2006) Issues In Forensic Psychology. Child Custody Evaluations. Online available at:  http://www.campsych.com/custody.htm 

Guidelines for Child Custody Evaluations in Divorce Proceedings (2009) American Psychological Association reprint of vol. 48, No. 7, July 1994.

Essay
Forensic Psychology Professionals Working in
Pages: 2 Words: 632


However, a forensic psychologist in a military setting may be able to assist in other ways in interrogations in prisoner-of-war camps and in warfare in general. Because these professionals have a strong civilian foundation -- usually having achieved some if ont a significant part of their coursework in civilian settings -- and due to the fact that they are familiar with regulations governing their profession both within and outside of the military, they may be able to display humane tendencies during these settings that can mitigate unneeded pain and suffering. However, even this role is not a given, since the function of these professionals within military settings is substantially framed within achieving the overall objectives of the military. There certainly can be a conflict of interest between overarching psychology norms and the goals of the military in interrogations. Psychologists may not be able to prevent the latter from overshadowing the…...

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References

Zur, O., Gonzalez, S. (2002). "Multiple Relationships In Military Psychology." Zur Institute.

Retrieved from  http://www.zurinstitute.com/dualmilitary.html 

American Psychological Association. (2008). "APA Actions to Implement the Council Resolutions Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment." www.apa.org. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/news/press/response/torture.aspx

Essay
Forensic Psychology Is a 'Practical '
Pages: 2 Words: 558

But they do not tell you which variable influences which. They may hint or suggest that one variable influences another, but they are never proof of causality. That is, they are never proof that changes in variable a cause changes in variable B" (Mitchell n.d.). In fact, B might cause a, versus a causing B (a diagnosis of a learning disability might indicate a predisposition to delinquency, or delinquent behavior might make a student more apt to be identified as learning disabled, if a correlation between these factors has been established).
Finally, experimental research formally deploys the scientific method. "Experimental research is guided by a hypothesis (or several hypotheses) that states an expected relationship between two or more variables. An experiment is conducted to support or disconfirm this experimental hypothesis….Experimental research, although very demanding of time and resources, often produces the soundest evidence concerning hypothesized cause-effect relationships (Gay, 1987, cited…...

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References

Kravitz, K. (2013). Understanding and enjoying research. IAFC. Retrieved:

 http://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article%20folder/understandres.html 

Mitchell, Mark. (n.d.). Non-experimental methods. General Psychology Page. Retrieved:

http://psy1.clarion.edu/mm/General/Methods/Methods.html

Essay
Clinical and Forensic Psychology Clinical
Pages: 2 Words: 784


Clinical psychology is not a unified 'school' of psychology. A clinical psychologist might be a non-directive, ogerian psychologist, emphasizing that the client must find out what is bothering him or her and interfering with self-actualization. A behaviorist might suggest a complex system of rewards and punishments to a parent when helping a child with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) cope with the rigors of the classroom. But while a clinical psychologist may help a client better to adjust to society, the psychologist is not treating a larger 'system' as a whole, and his or her ultimate duty is to the client -- including confidentiality obligations, unless the client is a danger to him or herself or others (Clinical psychology, 2010).

This is not to say that forensic psychologists are callous or do not have individual client's needs at heart: they play an invaluable role, for example, in helping family courts determine…...

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References

Clinical psychology. (2010). The American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary. Retrieved July 03, 2010, from Answers.com Web site:  http://www.answers.com/topic/clinical-psychology-2 

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) (2010) All

Psych. Retrieved July 03, 2010,

 http://allpsych.com/disorders/dsm.html

Essay
Bias in Forensic Psychology
Pages: 4 Words: 1335

Forensic Psychology According to the American Psychological Association (2013), forensic psychology is the application of clinical specialties to the legal arena. Forensic psychology combines the practice of psychology and the practice of law. A professional working in this field will use their psychological expertise and apply it to the judicial system. The interest of the forensic psychologist is to understand why certain behaviors occur and to also assist in minimizing and preventing such behaviors. They do thin within the criminal justice system. The forensic psychologist will apply their knowledge of psychology and use it to assist in narrowing down a list of suspects or provide the motive behind a crime (Guarnera, Murrie, & Boccaccini, 2017). There are cases where the evidence presented by a forensic psychologist will be the last piece of the puzzle when attempting to convict a criminal. The forensic psychologist will work directly with attorneys, offenders, defendants, victims,…...

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References

American Psychological Association. (2013). Specialty guidelines for forensic psychology. The American Psychologist, 68(1), 7.

Bartol, C. R., & Bartol, A. M. (2017). Introduction to forensic psychology: Research and application. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Guarnera, L. A., Murrie, D. C., & Boccaccini, M. T. (2017). Why do forensic experts disagree? Sources of unreliability and bias in forensic psychology evaluations. Translational Issues in Psychological Science, 3(2), 143.

MacLean, N., Neal, T., Morgan, R. D., & Murrie, D. C. (2019). Forensic clinicians’ understanding of bias. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law.

Essay
Court Forensic Psychology Forensic Psychology
Pages: 2 Words: 709


The findings of all of these evaluations could then be used to paint a picture that sheds light on whether the insanity plea in question is potentially or verifiably legitimate or if it seems to be a ploy to get around the charges in play. Some notable findings of the study reviewed for this discussion response include the fact that there was some disparate responses among the study subjects but it did not seem to be based on the fact that some of the people involved were psychologists while others were psychiatrists (Gowensmith, Murrie & Boccaccini, 2013).

Forensic psychologists should also take note that the study found that of all of the cases where an insanity defense was actually used, only 35.4% of the people in question (out of around 450 cases) were found insane while 58.6% were found sane. Of those 450 or so cases, there was unanimous agreement amongst…...

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References

Gowensmith, W., Murrie, D.C., & Boccaccini, M.T. (2013). How reliable are forensic evaluations of legal sanity?. Law And Human Behavior, 37(2), 98-106.

doi:10.1037/lhb

Lindgren, J. (2013, August 7). Ariel Castro's house of horror leveled in Cleveland. USA TODAY: Latest World and U.S. News - USATODAY.com. Retrieved August 9, 2013, from  http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/08/07/ariel-castro-cleveland-house-abduction/2626855/ 

Rubin, J. (2013, August 7). Nidal Hasan hopes for death in Fort Hood killings, lawyers say - CNN.com. CNN.com - Breaking News, U.S., World, Weather, Entertainment & Video News. Retrieved August 9, 2013, from  http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/07/justice/hasan-court-martial

Essay
Forensic Psychology
Pages: 5 Words: 1578

criminal gangs are formed. he writer uses theories of conformity and the elements of family life that contribute to the willingness of a teenager to join a gang and perform illegal acts. here were six sources used to complete this paper.
Law enforcement officials are often faced with crimes that have been committed by gang members. he crimes can range from petty to extreme and can include everything from vandalism to murder. A teen girl who is almost abducted by a gang stands a chance to have serious harm committed to her because of some of the elements that cause gangs to form and to act once they are formed. here are many social theories that work in tandem when it comes to a gang and its members, and the combination of those theories provide the foundation that the gang is based in. Gangs act as one unit in many…...

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Theories of Conformity (Accessed 2-9-2003)

Deutsch and Gerard (1955) Dual Process Dependency Model

http://www.cannockchase-high.staffs.sch.uk/psychology/confTheories.htm

Essay
OJ Simpson Forensic Psychology and
Pages: 7 Words: 2389

" (Linder, 1)
By and large, Simpson's history would support the argument which might have been levied by forensics psychologists that, in addition to the circumstantial evidence connecting him to the murders and his suspect behavioral pattern at the inception of the investigation, Simpson did have a behavioral history that suggests mental illness and the psychological makeup to commit the double-homicide. Quite certainly, indications of his temperament, of his tendency toward violence, of the frightening side which he displayed within the confines of his marriage and often in front of others could be considered sufficient cause for a more intensive psychological evaluation, particularly considering the strength of DNA evidence against Simpson. (Meier, 1)

These conditions justified the frequently nuanced use of forensic psychology as a way of understanding Simpson's capability to commit deed which evidence suggests he had the motives, the means, the lacking alibi, the varying witness accounts and the scientific…...

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Works Cited:

Auther, J.; Feldman, C. & LaMotte, G. (1997). Jury Unanimous: Simpson is Liable. CNN Interactive. Online at http://www.cnn.com/U.S./9702/04/simpson.verdict1/index.html

Editorial. (2008). The Juice and Justice. Los Angeles Times. Online at  http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-ed-simpson6-2008dec06,0,3851871.story 

Linder, D.A. (2001). The Trial of O.J. Simpson. University of Missouri-Kansas City. Online at http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/Simpson/simpson.htm

Meier, B. (1994). Simpson Team Taking Aim at DNA. The New York Times. Online at  http://www.nytimes.com/1994/09/07/us/simpson-team-taking-aim-at-dna-laboratory.html?sec=health&pagewanted=1

Essay
ADA & Forensic Psychology the
Pages: 2 Words: 650

However, the police department must be careful to not preclude the ADA applicants from those jobs to which they can be ascribed and hired for with little to no reasonable accommodations because not allowing or considering such reasonable accommodations can indeed be construed a violation of the law so the hiring managers and associated forensic psychologists need to be very careful (ADA, 2013).
It may seem to some people including many forensic psychologists that the ADA is a double-edged sword that potentially puts ill-prepared people in the line of fire while at the same time raising the possibility that a department will deemed to be anti-disabled or discriminatory. However, there are best practices and good habits that can and should be undertaken so that ADA applicants are hirable for the jobs that they are able to do while at the same time protecting the public because physically incapable applicants (regardless…...

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References

ADA. (2013, August 11). ADA.gov homepage. ADA.gov homepage. Retrieved August 11, 2013, from http://www.ada.gov

ADA. (2013, August 11). QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACTAND HIRING POLICE OFFICERS. ADA.gov homepage. Retrieved August 11, 2013, from http://www.ada.gov/copsq7a.htm

Essay
Post in Forensic Psychology There
Pages: 2 Words: 585

(Steinberg, 2001) (Kirk, 1986)
The independent variable is when the officer was allowed to structure the interview and lead them to answer the question through making different kinds of inferences. This was achieved by looking at 400 different interviews that were accomplished over an eight-month time frame. The results were that 89% of respondents provided more information and felt comfortable about discussing their situation with investigators using National Institute of Child Health and Development's structured interview protocol. These different areas are providing validity and reliability to the study, by illustrating how researchers were able to compare the responses of children as well as the accuracy of the information provided. (Steinberg, 2001) (Kirk, 1986)

Explain whether you think the validity and reliability, as reported in the article, are accurate or suspect and why

The validity and reliability of the article is exact. This is because two different techniques are being utilized by investigators.…...

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References

Kirk, J. (1986). Reliability and Validity in Qualitative Research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Sternberg, K. (2001). Use of a Structured Investigative Protocol. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86 (5), 997 -- 1005.

Q/A
Please help me with essay titles and outline for forensic psychology paper?
Words: 471

Forensic psychology refers to applying psychology to legal issues.  Forensic psychology can be applied to civil and criminal legal cases but is most commonly associated with criminal cases.

Ten possible essay topics / titles for forensic psychology are:

  1. Future Dangerousness: Can Forensic Psychologists Assess Future Risk
  2. Beyond Criminal Profiling: How Forensic Psychologists Help Law Enforcement
  3. Legally Crazy Versus Mentally Ill
  4. Victim Profiling: What Makes Some People Targets
  5. The Psychology of Policing
  6. Best Interests of the Child: How Forensic Psychologists Can Help in Child Custody Cases
  7. Inherently Unreliable: The Problem with Eyewitness Testimony
  8. Undeveloped Brains: Why Juveniles Should Not Be in the....

Q/A
What are the key components of a detailed outline for conducting a forensic psychology evaluation?
Words: 474

1. Introduction:
- Purpose of the evaluation
- Referral source
- Background information on the individual being evaluated
- Informed consent

2. Clinical Interview:
- History of presenting problem
- Developmental history
- Family history
- Mental health history
- Substance abuse history
- Cultural factors
- Legal history
- Risk assessment

3. Psychological Testing:
- Selection of appropriate assessment tools
- Administration and scoring of tests
- Interpretation of results
- Integration of testing data with interview findings

4. Collateral Information:
- Review of relevant records (medical, legal, educational)
- Interviews with collateral sources (family members, doctors, teachers, etc.)

5. Diagnosis and Formulation:
- Differential diagnosis
- DSM-5 diagnosis
- Psychosocial formulation
- Treatment recommendations

6. Report Writing:
- Organization of the report
- Use of clear and....

Q/A
What are the key components of a detailed outline for conducting a forensic psychology evaluation?
Words: 572

Key Components of a Detailed Outline for Conducting a Forensic Psychology Evaluation

I. Introduction
Purpose of evaluation
Legal context
Scope of evaluation

II. Data Collection and Review
Clinical interview
Psychological testing
Medical records review
Collateral information

III. Assessment
Psychological Functioning:
Diagnostic evaluation
Assessment of cognitive abilities
Exploration of personality traits
Evaluation of risk factors
Forensic Issues:
Competency to stand trial
Criminal responsibility
Mitigation
Treatment Considerations:
Psychotherapeutic needs
Psychopharmacological assessment

IV. Report Writing
Statement of qualifications
Summary of findings
Discussion of legal issues
Opinion and recommendations

Detailed Outline

I. Introduction
Purpose of Evaluation: Clearly state the specific legal or clinical purpose of the evaluation, such as competency....

Q/A
comparing the use of forensic science in UK and USA?
Words: 676

Forensic Science in the UK and USA: A Comparative Overview

Forensic science plays a crucial role in the criminal justice systems of both the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (USA). However, there are several key differences in the use and application of forensic science in these two countries.

Structure and Organization

UK: Forensic science services in the UK are primarily provided by the Forensic Science Service (FSS), a government agency responsible for conducting forensic examinations and providing expert testimony in criminal cases. The FSS has a centralized structure, with laboratories located throughout the country.

USA: Forensic science services in the....

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