FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY - EXAM 1 QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
What is the origin of the word forensic? - Answers-Forum - Center of public affairs in the
Roman City States... Judicial Process.
What percent of time do forensic psychologists spend "catching the bad guy?" -
Answers-Only 10% of forensic psychologists engage in criminal profiling. In some cases
like Jeffrey Dahmer or John Gacy, but it is rare.
What is a forensic psychologist? - Answers-A psychologist who applies the laws of
human behavior to the legal system.
What is judicial process? - Answers-Any judgements on right or wrong. "Justice."
What is forensic psychology? - Answers-The way psychologists interact with the law to
deal with individuals... We will mostly be dealing with treatment and assessment.
What is different between a psychiatrist and a psychologist? - Answers-Psychiatrist --
Understand biology.
Psychology -- Non medical treatments.
What are some examples of criminal law? - Answers-Must be intentionally malicious
and against the law. Murder, etc.
What would a forensic psychologist do in a criminal law case? - Answers-Risk
assessment, rules of insanity, competency to stand trial, treatment of sexual offenders,
and juvenile transfer to adult court.
What is civil law? - Answers-Violations include any wrong against an individual.
Concerned with private rights.
What is torts? - Answers-Falls within civil law and consists of a wrongful act which
causes harm to an individual. It is up to the individual, not society to take action.
What are the four steps of torts? - Answers-One individual must owe a duty.
Violation of the duty.
Proximate cause of harm.
Harm occurs.
What are some examples of civil law cases? - Answers-Child custody, civil commitment,
personal injury, worker's compensation, and competency to make medical decisions.
Explain the car accident example of torts? - Answers-Someone has a duty to drive safe.
, They violate the duty by speeding.
Cause of harm, they hit your car.
Harm = damage to your car.
What are the court systems? - Answers-State courts and federal courts.
What is a state court? - Answers-Trial courts, circuit courts, and supreme courts.
What is a federal court? - Answers-District courts, appeals courts, and united states
supreme court.
What differences do state and federal laws have? - Answers-Some are different from
one another. E.g., recreational marijuana useage.
What are some careers in forensic psychology? - Answers-Correctional facilities, state
hospitals, law enforcement agencies, community mental health centers, juvenile
detention facilities, private practice, colleges and universities.
What is therapeutic jurisprudence? - Answers-Legal rules and actors can produce
therapeutic or anti therapeutic consequences. The use of social science to study the
extent to which a legal rule practice promotes the psychological well-being of the people
it effects.
Who was Lightner Witmer? - Answers-Wrote about psychology and the law. Opened the
Chicago Juvenile Psychopathic Institute (1909)
What was the State vs. Driver case? - Answers-1921 -- A Psychologist testifies as an
expert witness on juvenile delinquency.
What was the Jenkins vs. United States? - Answers-Psychological testimony could be
admitted to determine criminal responsibility.
What are the two major areas of forensic psychology? - Answers-Criminal law and civil
law.
What is criminal law? - Answers-Focuses on acts against society and it is the
government that takes responsibility for pursuing criminal matters through law
enforcement officers and prosecutors. Mens Rea.
What is mens rea? - Answers-Involved in criminal law cases. A principle of criminal
responsibility that relates to an individuals mental state?
What are some examples of therapeutic jurisprudence? - Answers-How does the
criminal justice system work to traumatize victims of sexual assault. Do sentencing
guidelines offer mentally ill offenders the best chance of treatment.
ANSWERS
What is the origin of the word forensic? - Answers-Forum - Center of public affairs in the
Roman City States... Judicial Process.
What percent of time do forensic psychologists spend "catching the bad guy?" -
Answers-Only 10% of forensic psychologists engage in criminal profiling. In some cases
like Jeffrey Dahmer or John Gacy, but it is rare.
What is a forensic psychologist? - Answers-A psychologist who applies the laws of
human behavior to the legal system.
What is judicial process? - Answers-Any judgements on right or wrong. "Justice."
What is forensic psychology? - Answers-The way psychologists interact with the law to
deal with individuals... We will mostly be dealing with treatment and assessment.
What is different between a psychiatrist and a psychologist? - Answers-Psychiatrist --
Understand biology.
Psychology -- Non medical treatments.
What are some examples of criminal law? - Answers-Must be intentionally malicious
and against the law. Murder, etc.
What would a forensic psychologist do in a criminal law case? - Answers-Risk
assessment, rules of insanity, competency to stand trial, treatment of sexual offenders,
and juvenile transfer to adult court.
What is civil law? - Answers-Violations include any wrong against an individual.
Concerned with private rights.
What is torts? - Answers-Falls within civil law and consists of a wrongful act which
causes harm to an individual. It is up to the individual, not society to take action.
What are the four steps of torts? - Answers-One individual must owe a duty.
Violation of the duty.
Proximate cause of harm.
Harm occurs.
What are some examples of civil law cases? - Answers-Child custody, civil commitment,
personal injury, worker's compensation, and competency to make medical decisions.
Explain the car accident example of torts? - Answers-Someone has a duty to drive safe.
, They violate the duty by speeding.
Cause of harm, they hit your car.
Harm = damage to your car.
What are the court systems? - Answers-State courts and federal courts.
What is a state court? - Answers-Trial courts, circuit courts, and supreme courts.
What is a federal court? - Answers-District courts, appeals courts, and united states
supreme court.
What differences do state and federal laws have? - Answers-Some are different from
one another. E.g., recreational marijuana useage.
What are some careers in forensic psychology? - Answers-Correctional facilities, state
hospitals, law enforcement agencies, community mental health centers, juvenile
detention facilities, private practice, colleges and universities.
What is therapeutic jurisprudence? - Answers-Legal rules and actors can produce
therapeutic or anti therapeutic consequences. The use of social science to study the
extent to which a legal rule practice promotes the psychological well-being of the people
it effects.
Who was Lightner Witmer? - Answers-Wrote about psychology and the law. Opened the
Chicago Juvenile Psychopathic Institute (1909)
What was the State vs. Driver case? - Answers-1921 -- A Psychologist testifies as an
expert witness on juvenile delinquency.
What was the Jenkins vs. United States? - Answers-Psychological testimony could be
admitted to determine criminal responsibility.
What are the two major areas of forensic psychology? - Answers-Criminal law and civil
law.
What is criminal law? - Answers-Focuses on acts against society and it is the
government that takes responsibility for pursuing criminal matters through law
enforcement officers and prosecutors. Mens Rea.
What is mens rea? - Answers-Involved in criminal law cases. A principle of criminal
responsibility that relates to an individuals mental state?
What are some examples of therapeutic jurisprudence? - Answers-How does the
criminal justice system work to traumatize victims of sexual assault. Do sentencing
guidelines offer mentally ill offenders the best chance of treatment.
