What do they do?Might provide valuable info to the legal system that deals with mental healthHistorical PerspectiveGradual increase in the field during the ‘60’s and ‘70’sNational Science Foundation fundingProvides funding for grantsAmerican Psychology-Law Society (1968)Forum for ppl interested in the intersection of psyc and lawLaw & Human Behavior (1971)Focuses on legal issues that have an influence on psychologyPsychology, public policy & Law (1995)Historical Perspective: Cottage IndustryTom GrissoProfessor of PsychSpecializes in writing forensic evaluation reports to the courtsAPA Ethics CodeAspirational principles5 general concepts that psychologists aspire to followbenevolence and no mal-practice, responsible, just, autonomousSpecialty guidelines for forensic psychologists (1991)Current status of psychology and lawIs there an uneasy alliancePsychologyLawCreativeAuthoritativeEmpiricalAdversarial- competing view pointsExperimentalPrescriptiveDescriptiveCase specificProbabilisticAbsolute/CertainOne-realityContrasting realitiesTheory- DrivenAttentive to social science data?Law can also be:PoliticalLarge restriction to the courtsPrecedent (something that’s already been previously ruled)One ideology how a case should be viewed & that ideology is the standard that is followedLochkart v. McCree (1986)Jury was selected and asked questions on whether they were “death qualified”Death- qualified :Someone who is willing to consider all options, including death8 prospective jurors were removed during the selection process based on personal objections to the death penaltysocial science data suggests the death-qualified jurors are more prone to conviction than those opposed to the death penaltyAPA Amicus Curiae (friend of the court)Unrepresentative, improperly functioning juries with underrepresentation of minorities and femalesUS Supreme Court: the Constitution doesn’t prohibit states from using death death-qualified juriesDecision was reversed because is went against certain constitutional rightsMcCleskey v. Kemp (1986)Racial disparities in application of the death penaltyIndividuals convicted of murdering white victims were 4.3X more likely to receive the death penalty than those convicted of murdering black victimsUS Supreme Court: Dismissed general disparities as “inevitable” and ruled that results were insufficient to show evidence of deliberate bias in the present caseAlso those with more stereotypical features are more likely to receive the death penalty than those that have posses softer featuresWhat do forensic psychologists do?Basic ScienceTheoretical vs. Practical KnowledgeDeveloping a base of knowledge vs. actually applying that knowledge to court casesGeneralization of FindingsDiscover universal laws of psychological functioningNomothetic Laws: general ideaApply in general to a group or classEx: behavior that’s reinforced is more likely to occur againIdiographic Application:Apply to a specific member of a classProbabilistic nature of social sciencesEx: how likely is A for X given B for X?Forensic evaluationCourt-AppointedRetained by prosecution/defense/ plantiffCivil and Criminal InquiriesCompetency (many types)Mental state at time of offenseEmotional/cognitive damagesFuture dangerousnessChild welfare (custody)Mental retardation/Intellectual disabilityMalingering (faking insanity)Treatment amenability (Sexual violent predator cases)Provide Reports and Sometimes TestimonyTrial ConsultationJury selectionCommunity attitudesWitness preparationPresentation strategiesCross examination assistanceRecommend empirical findingsMock trialsImpartiality vs. Adversarial AllegianceWhat are the expectations for trial consultants?Are supposed to have allegiance to their sideFor forensic evaluatorsSupposed to be objectiveCorrectional PsychologyWhat about Psychologists working in prisons?Boothby & Clements (2000): “growth Industry”Jobs in Correctional psychology doubled form 1980-2000Why might this field be growing2.2 million adults were incarcerated in federal and state prisons and county jails at year- end 2011.Growing Mentally Ill Offender PopulationThe largest inpatient psychiatric facilities in the US are: LA county, Riker’s Island, Cook CountyWho are Correctional psychologistsThe majority:Have doctorial level degreesAre clinical or counselingWhiteMaleWork full time for the prisonProvide services to a broad range of offendersExceptions: sex offendersWhat do correctional psychologists do?Direct treatment (25%)Individual therapy750:1 Inmate/Psychologist ratioCognitive or Cognitive-Behavior OrientationWhat types off services are provided?Mental illness recoveryDepression, psychotic episodes, anxietyEmotions management (anger)Institutional adjustmentPersonal growthRisks and Criminogenic needsSusbstance abuse?Administrative duties (30%)The unseen career pathAssessment & Evaluation (20%)IQ, Violence Risk, Mental DisorderForensic Assessment Instruments (FAIs)“…directly relevant to a specific legal standard”Insanity/Competency MeasuresForensically Relevant Instruments (FRIs)Focus on clinical issues rather than legal definitionsHCR-20, PCL-ROther Instruments:MMPI, PAi, WAIS, Projective testigResearch (<5%)Policy EvaluationWas an intervention successful? Was a change effective? How do we knowHow can programs be designed for optimal testing and evaluation>Simultaneous vs. Sequential Eyewitness ProceduresHow could we determine which policy results in greater eyewitness accuracy?What might be problematic in conducting policy change?The Scientific MethodSystematic acquisition of data through observation in order to address a hypothesis regarding the relationship between tow or more variablesScience is :LogicalEx: 99% of “hard drug” users began with weed, so weed must lead to “hard drug” use, right?No, this is not a logical statement and therefore cannot be deemed scientificNon-Circular ReasoningDescriptions are not explanationsEx: “The man looked disoriented so he must have multiple personalitiesObjective and ReliableData are not strongly influenced by subjective evaluations or biases.FalsifiableIdeas are able to be tested and refutedReplicableOther studies produce similar results given similar methods of experimentationWhat is Junk ScienceUsusally violates on or more scientific principlesReification: Mistaking an abstract belief, opinion, or concept for concrete eventsOccurs when terms for ideas are treated as reality“Mother Nature”“The Abuse