This document provides an overview of forensic psychology, including key topics like eyewitness testimony, psychological testing, and profiling serial offenders. It discusses the differences between forensic psychology and psychiatry, as well as clinical psychology. Forensic psychologists may work on issues like competency evaluations, insanity defenses, and analyzing criminal patterns and motives. Psychological testing and eyewitness research have both provided insights but also have limitations for legal contexts.

1. Forensic
Psychology

2. Summary
Forensic Psychology
 Eyewitness Testimony
 History of Forensic Psychology
 Psychological Testing
Forensic Psychiatry
Serial Offenders: Profiling

3. Sexual Offenders: Treatment vs. Prison
 30s through 70s thought treatment could
solve this “psychological problem”.
 During 80s, many “treated” released
offenders continued to commit crimes
 Many states switched focus to
incarceration.
Forensic Psychology

4. Psychology vs. Psychiatry
Psychology - The science that deals with
mental processes and behavior.
Psychiatry - The branch of medicine that
deals with the treatment of mental
disorders.
Forensic Psychology

5. Psychology vs. Psychiatry
 Psychiatrist has medical degree (M.D.)
 Before 1980s, psychologists testimony
rarely used.
Forensic Psychology

6. Forensic Psychologist
 Can be a specific degree, which includes
background in law and criminal behavior
 Many forensic psychologists subspecialize.
Forensic Psychology
 Certified by American Board of Forensic
Psychology.

7. Forensic vs. Clinical Psychology
Clinical psychologists accept patients
description of thoughts
In forensic psychology, accused patients
have reasons to lie:
 proclaim innocence
 psychological defense
Forensic Psychology

8. Psychological Testing
Attempt to remove subjectivity of clinical
analysis
Criticism of tests:
 Don’t address legal issues.
 Might not be accurate for one person.
 Cannot test psychological functioning at time
of the crime.
Forensic Psychology

9. Psychological Testing
(Projective Tests)
 Rorschach test (inkblot test)
Forensic Psychology

10. Rorschach test (inkblot test)
Forensic Psychology

11. Rorschach test (inkblot test)
Forensic Psychology

12. Rorschach test (inkblot test)
Forensic Psychology

13. Rorschach test (inkblot test)
Forensic Psychology

14. Rorschach test (inkblot test)
Forensic Psychology

15. Rorschach test (inkblot test)
Forensic Psychology

16. Psychological Testing
(Projective Tests)
 Rorschach test (inkblot test)
 Thematic Application Test (TAT)
Picture is shown; subject makes up story
Forensic Psychology

17. Thematic Application Test (TAT)
Forensic Psychology

18. Thematic Application Test (TAT)
Forensic Psychology

19. Thematic Application Test (TAT)
Forensic Psychology

20. Thematic Application Test (TAT)
Forensic Psychology

21. Psychological Testing
(Projective Tests)
 Rorschach test (inkblot test)
 Thematic Application Test (TAT)
Picture is shown; subject makes up story
 Projective figure drawings
Forensic Psychology

22. Other personality tests assign a general
personality or address a specific disorder.
Psychological Testing (Other Tests)
Forensic Applications:
 Competence to stand trial
 Competence to waive Miranda rights
 Legal insanity
Forensic Psychology

23. Narcoanalysis (sodium amytal = truth serum)
 Determined to lie; will lie under serum
Altered State of Consciousness
Hypnosis is also not clear cut
Neither useful for recalling fact.
Forensic Psychology

24. Eyewitness testimony
Psychological research on eyewitness
testimony suggested it may be flawed.
One study in 1974 stated that eyewitness
testimony is faulty 90% of the time.

25. Flaws with eyewitness testimony
 Unreliability of human information-
processing system (research)
 Biased law enforcement procedures
Biased questioning, line-ups, mug shots, etc.
Courts reluctant to accept flaws of
eyewitness testimony, until DNA proved of
some false convictions.
Forensic Psychology > Eyewitness Testimony

26. Related topics
 Earwitness testimony also can be
unreliable
 False confessions: more common than
previously thought
Forensic Psychology > Eyewitness Testimony

27. Forensic Psychology > Eyewitness Testimony

28. Forensic Psychology > Eyewitness Testimony

29. Forensic Psychology > Eyewitness Testimony

30. Forensic Psychology > Eyewitness Testimony

31. Forensic Psychology > Eyewitness Testimony

32. Forensic Psychology > Eyewitness Testimony

33. Psychiatrists also assess:
Forensic Psychology > Forensic Psychiatry
 Competency to stand trial
 Legal insanity
 Sentencing issues
Psychologists may also be involved
with evaluating these issues.

34.  Examination only evaluates present
competency.
Competency Assessment
 Previous records required for evaluation of
past and present.
Forensic Psychology > Forensic Psychiatry

35.  Defendant must understand the charges.
Competency to Stand Trial
 Many states have a list of questions.
 If incompetent, treated until competent.
 After 1-2 years, may be deemed
incompetent for foreseeable future.
Forensic Psychology > Forensic Psychiatry

36. McNaughten rule – England 1843
 Not guilty by insanity if the person did not
know what he was doing was wrong
Legal Insanity
After Hinckley, some states
adopted “guilty but mentally ill”.
Forensic Psychology > Forensic Psychiatry

37.  25 accredited programs in US
 Certification by American Psychiatric
Association (APA)
 Involves taking a 1-yr. accredited program
and passing examination
 Forensic and correctional psychiatry are
separate fields
Training in Forensic Psychiatry
Forensic Psychology > Forensic Psychiatry

38. Modus Operendi = criminal’s way of operating
 Composed of many categories (Time of
day, tools used, accomplices, etc.)
 Some aspects of MO can change over time
 Includes trademark or signature
M.O. vs. Signature
Forensic Psychology > Serial Offenders
Signature = an unusual act in connection
with a crime.

39. Dead housewives are turning up with a
bouquet of flowers and letter left at scene
M.O. vs. Signature (Example)
Forensic Psychology > Serial Offenders

40.  M.O. = murders usually done during the
day, no forced entry, sharp tool used to cut
throat, no weapon left behind, no property
taken, flowers and card left behind
M.O. vs. Signature (Example)
 Signature: Flowers and card
Forensic Psychology > Serial Offenders

41. Supply characteristics to help narrow the field of
suspects.
Purpose
 Began in FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit (BSU)
 Officers met to “brain-storm” difficult cases with
psychologists at the FBI.
 BSU interviews with convicted offenders.
History
Personality Profiling
Forensic Psychology

42.  FBI BSU
 National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime
Case Submissions
 Identification of certain characteristics of an
unknown offender based on the way he
committed a crime.
 Profile includes categories of description.
Profiling
Forensic Psychology > Personality Profiling

43. Profiling is an investigative tool and
not usually acceptable for courtroom
presentation.
Profiling
Forensic Psychology > Personality Profiling