Tutors

1
Tutors

• Sue Thomas module leader
• GLB002 (other details on web)
• Ciaran OKeeffe
• GLA014 (other details on web)

2
The module

• Details of programme, assessment and guidelines
  are on the web
• OHPs for each session are on the web
• Other useful information
• Suggested readings, including web sites
• How to write a literature review
• Examples of good literature reviews

3
What is Psychology Crime?

• It is NOT Cracker or Sherlock Holmes
• Many areas of Psychology contribute to our
  understanding of criminal behaviour
• Perception
• Biological
• Personality
• Group dynamics
• psychopathology

4
Criminal/Forensic

• Both of these terms are used in texts and Howitt
  covers the debate around definitions
• He concludes that the main difference is that
  forensic psychology may involve the civil law as
  well as the criminal law

5
Defining Criminal/Forensic
BIOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGY Inheritance Effects of
injury
POLICE PSYCHOLOGY Recruitment Stress
INVESTIGATIVE PSYCHOLOGY Profiling Geographical
Profiling
DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY Aggression Delinquency
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY Assessment Prediction
COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY Eyewitness
testimony Interviewing
PRISON PSYCHOLOGY Treatment Parole/release
SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY Juries Media influences
Applied
Academic
6
What is Criminal Behaviour?

• Defining this is problematic
• The law states it is
• An act that violates criminal law which may
  result in criminal proceedings and/or punishment
• Requires an act to take place
• Requires intent

7
What is a crime?

• Who decides?
• Changes over time, is socially constructed and
  culturally specific eg.
• Women having children out of wedlock
• Homosexuality
• Drugs
• alcohol

8
Methodological issues

• That of defining crime
• Who is researched? Which group?
• Usually official criminals (those in the CJS
  who have been charged with an offence and often
  in prison
• Those who have been charged are more likely to
  belong to particular groups

9
Methodological issues cont

• Ethics
• Do the offenders have a choice of not
  participating?
• The interviewer hearing about crimes committed
  but not punished for or those about to be
  committed