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,Forensic psychology:
Introduction:
Towards un understanding:
• Forensic psychology ≠ forensic science or law enforcement
• (Forensic) psychologist studies human behavior
➔ Expert in (criminal) human behavior
• Tries to apply psychological principles to assist legal system
• Forensic:
- “Forensis”
- Of the forum
• Related to the law
History:
• Middle Ages and earlier:
- Good and wrong related to religion
o Demons, witches, sinners,…
• After Middle Ages (1500-1800):
- Shift towards ‘choice’, free will and rational calculation instead of divine influence
• England, early 18th century: Wild Beast Test
- Insane person = wild animal
• 19th century: Cesare Lombroso:
- L’uomo delinquente (1876)
• Basic ideas:
- ‘The born criminal’
- Atavism: evolutionary regression to a more primitive human stage
- Physical characteristics as predictors of criminal behavior (physiognomy)
o Criminals → physical anomalies
- Deterministic perspective
• 1879: First laboratory for experimental psychology (W. Wundt)
• End of 19th century: development of theories about insanity and criminal behaviour
- Inclusion of environmental influences
• 1908: ‘On the witness stand’ (Münsterberg)
- Series of essays to describe research on eyewitness testimony, false confessions
and uses of psychology in legal problems
• 20th century: psychologists were more and more called upon to apply their
(rudimentary) knowledge to the legal system as expert (e.g., testifying as expert
witness)
- Psychology = a tool in arriving at fair and just legal outcomes
• Some high-profile cases revealed the lack of fit between classical clinical
psychological approach and the legal context
1
, - E.g.: a child psychologist (without specific forensic expertise) being called upon as
expert witness in a child sexual abuse case
- E.g.: the use of assessment techniques that are not adapted to the forensic
context
- E.g.: the classical type of psychological reporting was not useful to court
• 1970 – 1980 (US): more and more application of psychology in legal issues
- Development of:
o Specific training
o Guidelines
o Specialized journals
o First generation assessment tools
→ A unique discipline that differs from classical clinical psychology
Current situation:
Forensic psychology has only been recognized as a specialization in 2001 by the American
Psychology Association
Practice of forensic psychology:
3 main activities for forensic psychologists:
1. Assessment
2. Treatment
3. Consultation
Assessment:
Therapeutic vs forensic assessment
Differences in:
• Goal (reduce psychological suffering vs. addressing legal question)
• Relationship (care and support vs. investigative and truth seeking)
• Client (examinee vs. whoever pays (court, attorney …))
• Consequences (design intervention vs. possible loss of liberty)
• Accuracy of info (examinee generally more reliable vs. questionable)
Methods:
1. (Clinical) interview
2. Psychological testing (stay critical in choosing the right instrument, do your research,
read the manual, educate yourself,…)
a. Projective tests (Rorschach, TAT,…)
b. Objective tests (NEO-PI-3, DAPP-BQ, UCL-R,…)
c. Intelligence (WAIS-IV,…)
d. Neuropsychological (Trail Making Test,…)
e. Forensic assessment instruments (PCL-R,…)
3. Collateral information
a. Need for accuracy in forensic evaluations
b. Archival information
c. Information from partner, friends, family,…
d. Information of other healthcare professionals
2
, Case example:
• Woman calls the police because husband has beaten 9-year old daughter
• Statements are made at the police station, a doctor is called for a medical
examination of the child
• Forensic psychologist is asked to assess the personality of the accused for the court
Story of accused (husband)
• “Daughter was inobedient, I asked her calmly to do something twice, she refused and
slammed the door. I went after her and gave her a pat on her behind. Well, three
actually.”
• “Seems like nothing wrong to me, it’s an adequate form of discipline, especially if you
want your child to be raised as an obedient and respectful person.”
• “We live in a quite harmonious family. There are no real issues. There has never been
aggression.”
Interview with the forensic psychologist
• FP: “The medical report states your daughter had a clear bruise on the front of her
head, she had several red dots in her face and she was heavily shivering.”
• A: “I suppose she was a bit startled, yes.”
• FP: “What about the bruise?”
• A: “It must have accidentally happened while I was patting her behind.”
• FP: “Your wife already pressed charges against you in the past.”
• A: “Oh, we once had a disagreement and we pushed eachother. She first pushed me.
I pushed her back, and she fell a bit unlucky.”
• FP: “I see you’re in agression counseling.”
• A: “Indeed, quite interesting, but not really necessary. Bit of a waste of time actually.
Besides, my counselor totally agrees on the fact that discipline is important when
raising children.”
Treatment:
Treatment of victims:
• Several challenges
- High threshold for victims (shame, cost, complexity of finding right help, waiting
lists,...)
- Lack of forensic insight and knowledge
➔ Wrong diagnosis, wrong focus
Treatment of offenders:
More challenges:
• Often takes place after an individual has been in contact with the law (after arrest or
sentence) or put under pressure by social system
→ Lack or absence of intrinsic motivation
• Usually involvement of a third party (justice system) asking for information on the
progress
• Confrontation with hostility, threats or even aggression and emotional burden (PTSS,
burn-out …)
- However: study of Leavitt et al. (2006) found no more risk of aggressive behavior
in the forensic context
• Who’s your client?
- Empathy vs. critical/suspicious attitude
3
,Forensic psychology:
Introduction:
Towards un understanding:
• Forensic psychology ≠ forensic science or law enforcement
• (Forensic) psychologist studies human behavior
➔ Expert in (criminal) human behavior
• Tries to apply psychological principles to assist legal system
• Forensic:
- “Forensis”
- Of the forum
• Related to the law
History:
• Middle Ages and earlier:
- Good and wrong related to religion
o Demons, witches, sinners,…
• After Middle Ages (1500-1800):
- Shift towards ‘choice’, free will and rational calculation instead of divine influence
• England, early 18th century: Wild Beast Test
- Insane person = wild animal
• 19th century: Cesare Lombroso:
- L’uomo delinquente (1876)
• Basic ideas:
- ‘The born criminal’
- Atavism: evolutionary regression to a more primitive human stage
- Physical characteristics as predictors of criminal behavior (physiognomy)
o Criminals → physical anomalies
- Deterministic perspective
• 1879: First laboratory for experimental psychology (W. Wundt)
• End of 19th century: development of theories about insanity and criminal behaviour
- Inclusion of environmental influences
• 1908: ‘On the witness stand’ (Münsterberg)
- Series of essays to describe research on eyewitness testimony, false confessions
and uses of psychology in legal problems
• 20th century: psychologists were more and more called upon to apply their
(rudimentary) knowledge to the legal system as expert (e.g., testifying as expert
witness)
- Psychology = a tool in arriving at fair and just legal outcomes
• Some high-profile cases revealed the lack of fit between classical clinical
psychological approach and the legal context
1
, - E.g.: a child psychologist (without specific forensic expertise) being called upon as
expert witness in a child sexual abuse case
- E.g.: the use of assessment techniques that are not adapted to the forensic
context
- E.g.: the classical type of psychological reporting was not useful to court
• 1970 – 1980 (US): more and more application of psychology in legal issues
- Development of:
o Specific training
o Guidelines
o Specialized journals
o First generation assessment tools
→ A unique discipline that differs from classical clinical psychology
Current situation:
Forensic psychology has only been recognized as a specialization in 2001 by the American
Psychology Association
Practice of forensic psychology:
3 main activities for forensic psychologists:
1. Assessment
2. Treatment
3. Consultation
Assessment:
Therapeutic vs forensic assessment
Differences in:
• Goal (reduce psychological suffering vs. addressing legal question)
• Relationship (care and support vs. investigative and truth seeking)
• Client (examinee vs. whoever pays (court, attorney …))
• Consequences (design intervention vs. possible loss of liberty)
• Accuracy of info (examinee generally more reliable vs. questionable)
Methods:
1. (Clinical) interview
2. Psychological testing (stay critical in choosing the right instrument, do your research,
read the manual, educate yourself,…)
a. Projective tests (Rorschach, TAT,…)
b. Objective tests (NEO-PI-3, DAPP-BQ, UCL-R,…)
c. Intelligence (WAIS-IV,…)
d. Neuropsychological (Trail Making Test,…)
e. Forensic assessment instruments (PCL-R,…)
3. Collateral information
a. Need for accuracy in forensic evaluations
b. Archival information
c. Information from partner, friends, family,…
d. Information of other healthcare professionals
2
, Case example:
• Woman calls the police because husband has beaten 9-year old daughter
• Statements are made at the police station, a doctor is called for a medical
examination of the child
• Forensic psychologist is asked to assess the personality of the accused for the court
Story of accused (husband)
• “Daughter was inobedient, I asked her calmly to do something twice, she refused and
slammed the door. I went after her and gave her a pat on her behind. Well, three
actually.”
• “Seems like nothing wrong to me, it’s an adequate form of discipline, especially if you
want your child to be raised as an obedient and respectful person.”
• “We live in a quite harmonious family. There are no real issues. There has never been
aggression.”
Interview with the forensic psychologist
• FP: “The medical report states your daughter had a clear bruise on the front of her
head, she had several red dots in her face and she was heavily shivering.”
• A: “I suppose she was a bit startled, yes.”
• FP: “What about the bruise?”
• A: “It must have accidentally happened while I was patting her behind.”
• FP: “Your wife already pressed charges against you in the past.”
• A: “Oh, we once had a disagreement and we pushed eachother. She first pushed me.
I pushed her back, and she fell a bit unlucky.”
• FP: “I see you’re in agression counseling.”
• A: “Indeed, quite interesting, but not really necessary. Bit of a waste of time actually.
Besides, my counselor totally agrees on the fact that discipline is important when
raising children.”
Treatment:
Treatment of victims:
• Several challenges
- High threshold for victims (shame, cost, complexity of finding right help, waiting
lists,...)
- Lack of forensic insight and knowledge
➔ Wrong diagnosis, wrong focus
Treatment of offenders:
More challenges:
• Often takes place after an individual has been in contact with the law (after arrest or
sentence) or put under pressure by social system
→ Lack or absence of intrinsic motivation
• Usually involvement of a third party (justice system) asking for information on the
progress
• Confrontation with hostility, threats or even aggression and emotional burden (PTSS,
burn-out …)
- However: study of Leavitt et al. (2006) found no more risk of aggressive behavior
in the forensic context
• Who’s your client?
- Empathy vs. critical/suspicious attitude
3
