Forensic Psychology: An Applied Approach
Edition: 3
Copyright: 2019
Edition: 3
Copyright: 2019
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Written by a practicing forensic psychologist and university professor, Forensic Psychology: An Applied Approach introduces the reader to the practice of forensic psychology. Forensic Psychology offers the reader a broad overview of the many opportunities available to forensic psychologists.
The first section of the book presents an overview of the forensic psychology field. The remaining chapters present the work of forensic psychologists in specific areas: criminal responsibility and competency to stand trial evaluations, police psychology, correctional psychology, child custody evaluations, and personal injury evaluations as well as exploring emerging trends in the field. The text also presents information from the field of legal psychology including trial consultation, eyewitness testimony and investigative psychology (profiling, hypnosis, detection of deception and psychological autopsies).
- Each chapter includes an overview of the particular area of practice, key concepts, terms, career information for each area of practice, and a brief summary.
- Case examples are provided when appropriate including examples from the author’s own clinical work.
- An appendix provides an extensive list of useful websites.
- An extensive instructors resource package including PowerPoint Presentations and Test Banks are provided to all adopters.
Features include:
- Current research and new material throughout, including new court cases.
- “Essential Questions” in each chapter guide the reader to identify key concepts presented.
- A “test your knowledge” section that provides practice in all chapters.
- Case studies that students can use as active learning exercises in class.
- A glossary of terms and a list and brief description of important court cases.
Accompanying website includes:
- Learning Objectives
- Chapter outlines
- Key terms
- PowerPoint® slides
- Post quizzes
- Master glossary
- Master Resources - website links and case law descriptions
Preface
Acknowledgments
About the Author
1 Introduction to the Field of Forensic Psychology
Definition of Forensic Psychology
Areas in Legal Psychology
Social Psychology
Cognitive Psychology
Developmental Psychology
Training in Forensic Psychology
Doctoral Degrees
Practicing Forensic Psychology at the Master’s Level
Full-Time versus Part-Time
Forensic Work
Overview of This Book
Test Your Knowledge
2 Ethical Issues Related to the Practice of Forensic Psychology
Ethics, Morality, Competence,
Professionalism, Character, and Law
A Clash of Cultures: Ethics, Psychology, and the Legal Profession
Expert Witness Testimony
Who Can Be Qualified as an
Expert Witness?
Admissibility of Expert Testimony
Case Law Regarding Admissibility of Expert Testimony
Frye v. United States ()
Federal Rules of Evidence
Daubert v. Merrell Dow
Pharmaceuticals
Ultimate Issue and Penultimate Issue
The Three Possible Roles for an
Expert Witness
Possible Pitfalls for the Expert Witness
Surviving the Witness Stand
A Clash of Cultures: Knowledge, Psychology, and the Legal Profession
Test Your Knowledge
3 Psychological Assessment
Types of Assessment Activities
Forensic Assessment in Criminal Proceedings
Forensic Assessment in Civil Proceedings
Psychological Assessment and Psychological
Testing
Purpose of the Evaluation
Examiner–Examinee Relationship
Who is the Client?
Motivation of the Examinee
Written Report
The Psychologist’s Cognitive Set
Professional Accountability
Temporal Focus of the Assessment
Assessment Instruments
Assessment Tools: The Interview
Assessment Tools: Psychological Tests
Psychometric Properties of Assessment
Instruments
Reliability
Validity
Normative Group
Standard Error of Measurement
Assessment Instruments
Measures of Intellectual Ability
Measures of Personality—General
Projective Techniques
Objective Techniques
Measures of Personality—Forensically Relevant
Instruments
Forensic Assessment Instruments
Summary
Test Your Knowledge
4 Competency Evaluations, Criminal Responsibility and Risk Assessments
Criminal Responsibility
Mens Rea
Myths Regarding the Insanity Defense
Historical Perspectives of the
Insanity Defense
Evaluation of Insanity
Competency to Stand Trial
Defining Competency
Competency to Stand Trial (CST)
Evaluation
Forensic Instruments Used in
CST Evaluations
Violence Risk Assessment
Approaches to Predicting Dangerousness
Summary
Role of the Forensic Psychologist in Capital
Punishment Sentencing
Test Your Knowledge
5 Police Psychology
Police Department’s History with Psychology
Police Officer Evaluations
Pre-employment Evaluations
Pre-employment Assessment
Instruments
Pre-employment Interview
Fitness-for-Duty-Evaluations
Special Assignment Assessments
Psychological Counseling
Health and Wellness Counseling
Critical Incident Counseling
Training
Consultation
Management Consultation
Careers in Police Psychology
Summary
Test Your Knowledge
6 Correctional Psychology
Definition of Correctional Psychology
Recent Growth in the Field of Correctional Psychology
Therapy in Correctional Settings: Can I Leave?
Prison Overcrowding
Theories of Punishment and the
Goals of Incarceration
Retribution
Incapacitation
Deterrence
Rehabilitation/Treatment
Restorative Justice
Correctional Facilities: Jails and Prisons
Psychologists’ Duties in Correctional
Facilities
Assessment in Correctional Facilities
Treatment in Correctional Facilities
Unique Challenges for the Correctional
Psychologist
Court Decisions Regarding the Rights of Inmates
Unique Aspects of Working in a Correctional Facility: Tips for the
Beginning Clinician
Careers in Correctional Psychology
Summary
Test Your Knowledge
7 Assessment of Psychological Injury
Criminal Law versus Civil Law
Criminal Law
Civil Law
The Civil Court System
Federal Courts
State Courts
Appellate Process
The Law of Torts
Role of the Forensic Psychologist as Examiner
Practice Standards for Personal Injury
Evaluations
Employment Litigation Involving
Psychological Injury
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of
Sexual Harassment
Assessment of Psychological Injuries in
Discrimination and Harassment Claims
The Eggshell Plaintiff
Legal Psychology’s Contribution to
Discrimination and Harassment Claims
PTSD and the Use of Syndrome Evidence
Battered Woman Syndrome
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Summary
Test Your Knowledge
8 Child Custody Evaluations
The Challenge of Child Custody
Evaluations
Multiple Participants
The Psycholegal Question Involved in Child
Custody Evaluations
Confusion Regarding the Assessment
Process and Instruments
Adversarial Nature of Child Custody
Evaluations
Attitudes and Biases of Those Involved in the Decision-Making Process
Psychologist’s Roles
Current State of Child Custody in
Divorce Proceedings
Child Custody Laws
The Legal Relevance of Mental Health
Professionals’ Recommendations
Types of Custody Arrangements
Professional Organizations’ Guidelines for Child Custody Evaluations
The Evaluation Process
Assessment Interviews
Direct Observation
Collateral Sources
Psychological Testing
The Custody Report
Training
Summary
Test Your Knowledge
9 Trial Consultation
Are Lawsuits out of Control?
Qualifications of Trial Consultants
Services Offered by Trial Consultants
Voir Dire and Jury Selection
The Technique of Jury Selection
Characteristics Used to Predict Verdicts
Demographic Variables
Personality Traits and Attitudinal Predictors
Effectiveness of Scientific Jury Selection
Guilty or Not Guilty: Does It Matter?
Change of Venue Requests
Witness Preparation
Other Activities the Trial Consultant May
Perform
Ethical Issues in Trial Consultation
Training
Summary
Test Your Knowledge
10 Criminal Investigative Techniques
Criminal Profiling
Definition of Criminal Profiling
Historical Approach
Profiling Criminals’ Common
Characteristics
Crime Scene Analysis
The Process of Generating a Criminal Profile
The Effectiveness of Criminal Profiling
The Polygraph
The Polygraph Instrument
The Relevant/Irrelevant
Technique (R/I)
The Control Question
Technique (CQT)
The Concealed Information or
Guilty-Knowledge Test
The Uses and Accuracy of the Polygraph
Brain Activity
Autonomic Measures
Demeanor
Direct Investigation
False Confessions
Hypnosis
Psychological Autopsies
Status of Expert Testimony for Psychological Autopsies
Test Your Knowledge
11 Eyewitness Memory and Recovered Memory
Eyewitness Memory Fallibility
Admissibility of Expert Testimony on the
Fallibility of Eyewitness Memory
Recommended Procedures to Improve
Eyewitness Memory
Initial Report of a Crime
Mug Books and Composite Images
Lineup Procedures
Supreme Court Rulings on the
Admissibility of Eyewitness Identifications
Recovered Memory versus
False Memory
Summary
Test Your Knowledge
12 Emerging Trends in the Field of Forensic Psychology
Increased Growth and Sophistication
Increased Cooperation between Law and Psychology
Influencing Public Policy
Psychology
Training in Legal Psychology
Summary Regarding Training
Therapeutic Jurisprudence
Summary
Test Your Knowledge
Appendix
References
Glossary
Index
Christopher Cronin received his BS in psychology at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and his MA and PhD in clinical psychology at the University of Delaware. He completed his internship at the University of California, Davis in the Department of Psychiatry at the University Medical Center in Sacramento. He has also completed a Post-doctoral Certificate in Clinical Psychopharmacology at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Dr. Cronin is a licensed clinical psychologist who has held academic positions in Europe (University of Maryland, Munich Campus), Australia (Flinders University of South Australia), and the United States (Transylvania University and Saint Leo University). He has practiced forensic psychology since 1991, conducting competency to stand trial and criminal responsibility evaluations for the Commonwealth of Kentucky. He is Professor of Psychology at Saint Leo University in Florida and has conducted over 5,500 court-ordered forensic evaluations in the Tampa Bay area. In addition to various journal articles, Dr. Cronin is the editor of Military Psychology: An Introduction, which was translated into Chinese, and author of Forensic Psychology. He regularly consults as a subject matter expert for the development of online and ground-based undergraduate and graduate courses in forensic psychology. Additionally, he presents continuing education workshops to mental health professionals on topics related to forensic psychology. Dr. Cronin also presents continuing education workshops for first responders on resiliency and unconscious bias training.
I had been looking forward to taking this class since I started at Saint Leo. It has exceeded my expectations. I not only learned about areas of forensic psychology, but the various fields of study. That was something that I had not expected as much of. The information given on education requirements, job satisfaction and the future of specific areas was very helpful. I felt that the book was very thorough and easy to read. If one is considering a job in the field of forensic psychology, this book is very accommodating. I found the weekly tests to be pretty difficult. Sometimes the way a question was phrased would confuse me a little bit. I think that it may have helped to have a simple study guide for the midterm and final exams, even if it just had key words to focus on. With as much material as there is in the book, some of the questions are pretty specific and could be overlooked while studying. This was one of my favorite classes. Thank you for all your time.
Heather Antonie, Student
Saint Leo University
As I have mentioned to you before, I have really enjoyed this class. In my opinion, this has been one of the most informative classes I have taken thus far. The book was very well written and organized. Sometimes I have trouble reading text books, because they tend to be boring and read like stereo instructions. Psychology in general is a complex subject and the ability to break it down so the average person can understand the basics is difficult. You mastered this task in your textbook, lectures, and the study guide. I graduate in May and I have thoroughly enjoyed this entire experience. Thank you for being a good instructor! Good luck in all your future endeavors!
Allison Swygert, Student
Saint Leo University
Thank you for all that I learned in this course. I feel that the text, lectures, and study guide were extremely interesting and informative. You assisted me in deciding what I want to do with the rest of my life (which is a huge deal!). I believe if I had not taken this course I could have wasted years and money educating myself for a job I am not emotionally capable of doing. I admire the courage and strength it takes to perform this job well; however, it is just too ugly and pressurized for someone as soft as I am. I do not think I could be objective or have the courage to be torn apart by a prosecutor. My hat is off to you, sir, as a teacher as well as a forensic psychologist. I thoroughly enjoyed the class. I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to be your student twice. I wish you all the best and thank you again for all of your help.
Holly Janes, Student
Saint Leo University
I just would like to say that this has been an informative course. As far as the course as a whole, I feel as if I learned a lot. (Even if my grade does not reflect it) I especially enjoyed the police psychology chapter. I worked in the courthouse for 5 years and got to know a lot of the officers and people that worked for the Sheriff's Department, and my husband is a deputy, so it was a little informative to see the psychological aspect in black and white. I can say from experience that you really hit the nail on the head. I should have done my paper on that! All in all this was a very well written book, it goes in order. Most school textbooks you have to skip around for it to really come together and make sense. I have enjoyed this course and hope that I pass. Thank you for the experience.
Penny Wallace, Student
Saint Leo University