| In recent years forensic psychology and related topics | | | | realise that these different groups are linked to |
| such as criminal profiling have been the subject of a | | | | forensic psychology because their work, expert |
| whole host of books, films and television series. While | | | | knowledge or research activity is somehow |
| this has undoubtedly raised the profile of forensic | | | | connected with the law. |
| psychology, the subject has often been presented in a | | | | This legal connection makes perfect sense when you |
| distorted, sensationalised and inaccurate way. | | | | consider that the word forensic comes from the Latin |
| With this very much in mind, this article outlines what | | | | forensis, which literally means appertaining to the forum, |
| you need to be aware of in order to provide a | | | | specifically the imperial court of Rome. So in essence: |
| satisfactory answer to the question, what is forensic | | | | The debate as to what is and what isn't forensic |
| psychology? | | | | psychology rests primarily on the nature of |
| When my students arrived for their first lecture, I would | | | | psychology's relationship with the legal system. |
| always start by giving them 10 minutes to write down | | | | Let me give you an example, imagine 2 clinical |
| an answer to the question what is forensic | | | | psychologists meet at a conference and they begin |
| psychology? Before reading on, why not quickly write | | | | talking about the work they do. The first psychologist |
| down what you think forensic psychology is. | | | | tells the second that she recently gave expert |
| The reason I did this was because despite the fact | | | | testimony in court arguing that the defendant in a |
| that every single undergraduate psychology student | | | | murder case was criminally insane; the judge and jury |
| (about 180 of them) chose to do the forensic | | | | agreed and having been found guilty on the grounds of |
| psychology course, not one of them came to see me | | | | diminished responsibility the defendant was going to be |
| in advance to ask what the course was about. Now | | | | sent to a secure psychiatric unit. Now there's a |
| bear in mind students chose their optional courses well | | | | coincidence the second psychologist says I work in the |
| in advance of the start date, and in order to make an | | | | unit where they're sending him, so I'll be dealing and |
| informed choice they were all strongly advised to | | | | treating this guy when he arrives. |
| speak to the lecturer running the courses they were | | | | So here you have a situation where two psychologists |
| interested in before making a final decision. | | | | are linked to the legal system by way of a legal |
| So why the no show? | | | | decision and you could argue, therefore, that both |
| I suspect, actually I know because I discussed it with | | | | deserve to be seen as engaging in Forensic |
| the students afterwards, that they didn't feel they had | | | | Psychology. However, there's a crucial difference. |
| to find out what forensic psychology is, because they | | | | The first psychologist actually helped inform the legal |
| already had a preconceived idea. | | | | decision based on her psychological knowledge and |
| I mentioned that at the start of the first lecture I would | | | | expertise. The second psychologists' involvement on |
| give students 10 minutes to write down an answer to | | | | the other hand arose as a consequence of a legal |
| the question what is forensic psychology. What I didn't | | | | decision that she had no direct influence over. |
| mention, however, is that after about 2 minutes I would | | | | My preferred forensic psychology definition |
| ask for their attention and apologise for forgetting to | | | | acknowledges this key distinction, namely: |
| tell them that they weren't allowed to use the words | | | | That branch of applied psychology which is concerned |
| serial killers or silence of the lambs in their answer. It | | | | with the collection, examination and presentation of |
| was usually as this point that most of the writing in the | | | | evidence for judicial purposes' (Haward 1981). |
| lecture theatre stopped. | | | | If you adopt this definition you are stating categorically |
| If you're thinking I would have stopped writing as well, | | | | that Forensic Psychology relates to: |
| please contain your disappointment and don't rush off | | | | The provision of psychological information for the |
| just yet. The answer to the question, what is forensic | | | | purpose of facilitating a legal decision (Blackburn 1996). |
| psychology may not quite be what you thought, but | | | | So in the case of our two psychologists, strictly |
| that doesn't mean that the subject has to be any less | | | | speaking only the first can be said to be engaged in |
| engaging. | | | | Forensic Psychology. |
| The first thing to appreciate when addressing the | | | | Not everybody would agree with this, because there is |
| question is that even psychologists in the field are | | | | a school of thought that would claim that any activity |
| divided as to what the answer is. The division of | | | | that links psychology to the law deserves to be |
| criminological and legal psychology within the British | | | | described as Forensic. I'm not going to try and |
| Psychological Society argued for twenty years as to | | | | convince you which is right, although I do have a strong |
| whether their members should be entitled to call | | | | opinion on the mater; the main thing is that you know |
| themselves Chartered Forensic Psychologists. It was | | | | that this debate exists. |
| finally agreed that they should, however, there still | | | | Summary |
| remains a great deal of debate and controversy | | | | In answering the question, what is forensic psychology |
| surrounding the issue. | | | | we have discovered that: |
| The central problem is that its members are drawn | | | | In essence, forensic psychology refers to the |
| from a wide range of disciplines, so it is always difficult | | | | application of psychology within a legal context. |
| to state what the boundaries are when you talk of | | | | The debate as to what is & what is not forensic |
| Forensic Psychology. | | | | psychology relates to the nature of this legal |
| A fragmented discipline? | | | | application & the level at which it is applied. |
| Psychologists in the prison/correctional services. Clinical | | | | And this debate raises a number of questions that you |
| psychologists in special hospitals & the psychiatric | | | | need to think about. In particular: |
| services. Educational psychologists. Occupational | | | | The boundaries of forensic psychology? |
| psychologists. Academics | | | | The role of the forensic psychologist? |
| Now while it is important to acknowledge that this | | | | The credibility of forensic psychology. |
| fragmentation of role exists, it is just as important to | | | | |