Title: Forensic Psychology
1Forensic Psychology
2What is Forensic Psychology?
- The application of the science of psychology to
criminal law
3What do researchers in this field do?
- They examine human behavior in relation to the
legal system - Determine sanity and competence
- Evaluate and examine criminals
- Help lawyers prepare for trial
- Help police catch criminals
4What is Forensic Psychology? Is it like Criminal
Minds?
5Criminal Minds Clip
6What is Forensic Psychology? Is it like Silence
of the Lambs?
7Silence of the Lambs Clip
8More Silence of the Lambs? Are you Sure?
9Well, Not So MuchWhat isnt forensic psych?
- When most people think of forensic psychology,
they think of profilers - Most forensic psychologists are not involved in
solving crimes (few are) - They are involved in assessing people already
arrested, checking for competence and insanity
10Forensic Psychiatry
crime prevention and solution, criminal
rehabilitation, and issues of the criminal law
11Psychological Theories
Personality is the major motivational element
within individuals. It is the seat of
drives and the source of motives
12Psychological Theories
Crimes result from abnormal, dysfunctional, or
inappropriate mental processes within the
personality
13Perception and Reality
- Perception the ability to see, hear, or become
aware of something through the senses - Reality the world or the state of things as they
actually exist, as opposed to an idealistic or
notional idea of them
14But What Is Reality?
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18Im Going Crazy!
19Insanity Defense
- An insanity defense is based on the theory that
most people can choose to follow the law - But a few select persons cannot be held
accountable because mental disease or disability
deprives them of the ability to make a
rational/voluntary choice
20What is Insanity?
- Mental illness of such a severe nature that a
person - cannot distinguish fantasy from reality,
- is subject to uncontrollable impulsive behavior.
21Famous Case
- John Hinckley
- Shot President Ronald Reagan, in front of
television cameras -- but declared not guilty by
reason of insanity and sent to a mental
institution.
22Hinckley
- Developed an obsession of Jodi Foster, the
actress in a movie called Taxi Driver - Followed her to Yale University and stalked her,
slipping poems and messages under her door and
calling her by telephone.
23- She didnt want to have anything to do with him.
- Developed such plots as hijacking an airplane and
committing suicide in front of her to gain her
attention. - Settled on a scheme to win her over by
assassinating the president (just like the main
character in Taxi Driver).
24Hinckley
- Just prior to Hinckley's failed attempt on
Reagan's life, he wrote to Foster - "Over the past seven months I've left you dozens
of poems, letters and love messages in the faint
hope that you could develop an interest in me.
Although we talked on the phone a couple of times
I never had the nerve to simply approach you and
introduce myself. ... the reason I'm going
ahead with this attempt now is because I cannot
wait any longer to impress you."
25Hinckley
- In 1981, Hinckley fired a revolver six times at
President Reagan. - Wounded press secretary James Brady, police
officer Thomas Delahanty, Secret Service agent
Timothy McCarthy and President Reagan. - All victims survived.
26Hinckley
- At the trial in 1982, Hinckley was found not
guilty by reason of insanity - The defense psychiatric reports found him to be
insane while the prosecution reports declared him
legally sane.
27Hinckley
- The verdict led to widespread dismay
- The U.S. Congressand a number of states rewrote
the law regarding the insanity defense. - Idaho, Kansas, Montana, and Utah have abolished
the defense altogether. - Shortly after his trial, Hinckley wrote that the
shooting was "the greatest love offering in the
history of the world", and was upset that Foster
did not reciprocate his love - To this day still resides in St. Elizabeth's
Hospital with limited freedoms.
28How can we tell if someone is competent?
29Competency
- The mental state of the defendant at the time of
trial - Criminal proceedings should not continue against
someone who cannot understand their nature and
purpose. - Can include low intelligence, young age, under
the influence of drugs, etc
30Guilty, but too stupid to know any better
Guilty
31Guilty, but too crazy to know any better
32Psychopaths and Sociopaths
- These terms define different pathologies of the
mind, although they share the following - A disregard for laws and social mores
- A disregard for the rights of others
- A failure to feel remorse or guilt
- A tendency to display violent behavior
33Sociopath
- Sociopaths tend to be nervous and easily
agitated. Volatile and prone to emotional
outbursts, including fits of rage. - Likely to be uneducated and live on the fringes
of society, unable to hold down a steady job or
stay in one place for very long. - It is difficult but not impossible for sociopaths
to form attachments with others. - In the eyes of others, sociopaths will appear to
be very disturbed. - Any crimes committed by a sociopath, including
murder, will tend to be haphazard, disorganized
and spontaneous rather than planned.
34Psychopath
- Psychopaths, on the other hand, are unable to
form emotional attachments or feel
real empathy with others, although they often
have disarming or even charming personalities. - Psychopaths are very manipulative and can easily
gain peoples trust. - They learn to mimic emotions, despite their
inability to actually feel them, and will appear
normal to unsuspecting people. - Psychopaths are often well educated and hold
steady jobs. - Some are so good at manipulation and mimicry that
they have families and other long-term
relationships without those around them ever
suspecting their true nature.