Forensic Psychology:
The application of psychological theory, knowledge, practice and methods to the process of
law and the understanding and reduction of criminal behaviour.
- Psychological contributions to the legal process: as experts in court, psychology of
legal proceedings.
- Working with offenders
- Working with law enforcement
Experts in Court:
Clinical - interviews/ administers psychological tests to answer a particular referral question
(e.g., fitness to plead, criminal liability, direct intention vs negligence).
Actuarial - Presents evidence on the probability of some event occurring. E.g., Sally Clark
(1996) had two children with SIDS. Roy Meadow calculated probability of this happening -1
in 73 million. Didn’t factor in likelihood of murdering two children. This shows double SIDS is
4.5-9x more likely than double murder (Hills, 2004).
Experimental - conduct experiments that are directly relevant to the individual case (e.g.,
witness memory and perception). E.g., Glasgow Ice Cream Wars - rival gangs fought a turf
war over ice cream trucks, which were selling drugs and stolen goods in the 1980s. In 1984,
Thomas Campbell and Joseph Steele convicted of murdering 6 members of Andrew Doyle’s
family. When looking at police reports, 4 police officers had same text in notes. Empirical
studies determined likelihood of this happening. Only 40% able to record exactly what they
heard, so the report of 4 same reports was so unlikely it was doubtful. 2004, convictions
quashed, both released.
The application of psychological theory, knowledge, practice and methods to the process of
law and the understanding and reduction of criminal behaviour.
- Psychological contributions to the legal process: as experts in court, psychology of
legal proceedings.
- Working with offenders
- Working with law enforcement
Experts in Court:
Clinical - interviews/ administers psychological tests to answer a particular referral question
(e.g., fitness to plead, criminal liability, direct intention vs negligence).
Actuarial - Presents evidence on the probability of some event occurring. E.g., Sally Clark
(1996) had two children with SIDS. Roy Meadow calculated probability of this happening -1
in 73 million. Didn’t factor in likelihood of murdering two children. This shows double SIDS is
4.5-9x more likely than double murder (Hills, 2004).
Experimental - conduct experiments that are directly relevant to the individual case (e.g.,
witness memory and perception). E.g., Glasgow Ice Cream Wars - rival gangs fought a turf
war over ice cream trucks, which were selling drugs and stolen goods in the 1980s. In 1984,
Thomas Campbell and Joseph Steele convicted of murdering 6 members of Andrew Doyle’s
family. When looking at police reports, 4 police officers had same text in notes. Empirical
studies determined likelihood of this happening. Only 40% able to record exactly what they
heard, so the report of 4 same reports was so unlikely it was doubtful. 2004, convictions
quashed, both released.
