Forensic Psychology
PSY 422
Forensic Psychology
Fall I 2007
INSTRUCTOR:
STAFF [TBA]PHONE:
EMAIL:
FAX:
REQUIRED TEXTS:
Title / Psychology and the Law: Theory, Research, and ApplicationAuthor(s) / Bartol, C.R. & Bartol, A.M.
Copyright / (2004).
Publisher / Wadsworth/Thomson
ISBN / 053452818X
Edition / 3rd Edition
This Course Requires the Purchase of a Course Packet: YES NO
Argosy University
COURSE SYLLABUS
PSY422
Forensic Psychology
Faculty Information
Faculty Name:
Campus:
Contact Information:
Office Hours:
Short Faculty Bio:
Course description: The purpose of this course is to review the various areas in which psychology intercepts with the law and the criminal justice system. Students will gain an understanding of the judicial system, the role of mental health practitioners within the judicial system, and the judicial system’s use of social science research. The course will cover topics such as psychological testimony, civil commitment, the rights of mental patients, offender competency, insanity defense, child custody disputes and determinations, psychology of the courtroom, and psychology of law enforcement personnel and correctional institutions. This course is designed to address the ethical conflicts and dilemmas that clinicians face when they need to function in the legal system as evaluators or as expert witnesses and the attempts to resolve such conflicts.
Course Pre-requisites: None
Required Textbook:
Bartol, C.R. & Bartol, A.M. (2004). Psychology and the Law: Theory, Research, and Application. 3rd Edition. Wadsworth/Thomson. ISBN: 053452818X
Technology: Pentium III CPU/ Windows 98; 128MB RAM printer; Microsoft Office: Acrobat (full version); Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 (PC), 5.0 (MAC), or Netscape Navigator 4.08; Norton Antivirus.
Course length: 7.5 Weeks
Contact Hours: 45 Hours
Credit Value: 3.0
Program Outcomes:
1. Cognitive Abilities
1.1. Critical Thinking - Given a psychological issue, employ skeptical inquiry and a scientific approach to respond to the issue.
1.2. Information Literacy - Given a research question related to psychology, access information from a variety of sources and select appropriate sources to respond to the question.
2. Research
2.1. Understanding Research Methods – Given an article about research findings in the field of psychology from a scholarly journal, identify the research methods used and the findings of the article.
2.2. Identifying Research Methods – Identify the appropriate statistical tools and basic research methods in psychology, including research design, data analysis, and interpretation.
3. Communication Skills
3.1. Oral - Effectively present psychological concepts orally as appropriate to the audience.
3.2. Written - Effectively present psychological information, in writing, using software and style appropriate to the audience.
4. Ethics/Diversity
4.1. Ethics - Identify the issues and challenges related to ethics in the field of psychology.
4.2. Diversity - Identify the issues and challenges related to diversity in the field of psychology.
5. Knowledge of the Field
5.1. Foundations – Recognize the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, applications, and historical trends in psychology.
6. Knowledge of Applied Psychology
Apply psychological principles to personal, social, and/or organizational issues.
Course Objectives:
1. Demonstrate knowledge of the basic principles and systems of U.S. jurisprudence, including the way laws are made, the organization of state and federal courts, and the basics of civil and criminal court procedures.
2. Integrate knowledge of mental health diagnoses and assessment instruments with an understanding of how diagnoses and evaluations are used in legal proceedings.
3. Apply psychological principles to aid in understanding the psychology of law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, and defense and civil attorneys.
4. Analyze psychological principles so as to understand the psychology of evidence, including interrogation methods, lineups, assisted memory, repressed memory, and competency of witnesses and testimony.
5. Define the similarities and differences in the basic roles that psychologists might play in civil, criminal, family law, and juvenile cases, and explain how the roles differ.
6. Demonstrate the ability to integrate the way psychology can help improve the legal system and the way law can aid psychology in the advocacy for and the delivery of mental health services.
· Understand the process of jury selection as well as the jury decision making.
Assignment Table
Topics / Readings / Assignments1 / § Course Overview
§ Forensic Psychological Assessment
§ The Court System
q Organization
q Structure
q Function
§ Summary
§ PSY 422 _Week One Assignments / Reading
§ Following chapters from the assigned textbook, Psychology & Law:
o Chapter 1 – Introduction
o Chapter 2 – Psychological Assessment, Testing & the Law
o Chapter 3 – Psychology & the Courts: An Overview
While reading, make notes of pertinent and important facts. You will be required to reference your readings in discussions and apply them in the week's assignments.
Blooms: 2
Completion time: 4.0 hours / Biography
The students are to post a brief paragraph to the Discussion Area outlining reasons for taking the course, career aspirations, and anything else they wish to share. The students should also review and comment on the biographies of other students by the end of the week.
Introduce yourself to the class and provide the following details:
1. Name
2. Location
3. Profession
4. Your interest in specific aspects of forensic psychology such as:
a) Why you have chosen to take this course. b) Your experience with this field.
c) Your future aspirations.
5. Your expectations from this course.
Blooms: 2
Completion time: 0.5 hours
Grade: 8
DQ1 is mandatory
DQ1
What are the three levels of the federal court system and their primary functions? What do these different levels have in common? How are they different from each other?
Blooms: 4
Grade: 33
DQ2
Discuss the importance of Frye v. U.S. (1923) and Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc (1993) with respect to the field of forensic psychology. Did the Daubert case strengthen or weaken the relationship between psychology and the court system? Support your viewpoint.
Blooms: 4
Grade: 33
DQ3
Discuss the differences between civil and criminal courts. Is the line between these two courts absolutely definitive? If not what types of cases might “blur the line” between both courts?
Blooms: 4
Grade: 33
DQ4
Which side of the actuarial versus clinical prediction debate do you adhere to and why? Choose one psychological assessment instrument that you would utilize and explain why? Choose one instrument that you would avoid and explain why?
Blooms: 4
Grade: 33
DQ5
Discuss how a defendant’s psychiatric diagnosis might play a role in criminal court cases. Do you think that such an option is important? Why?
Blooms: 4
Grade: 33
Completion Time: 2.5 hours for all DQs
Assignment:
Criminal Case
Use three of the following U.S. news sources: the New York Times, the Washington Times, the Miami Herald, the Boston Globe, or http://www.courttv.com/, and select one from the following criminal cases:
A) The Robert Blake murder trial
B) The Michael McDermott trial
C) The Andrea Yates trial
D) Danny Rolling: The “Gainesville Ripper”
Answer the following questions:
1) Briefly describe the facts of the case.
2) Explain the legal issue.
3) Discuss any psychological issues that could be raised for the defense.
4) With respect to your answer in question 3, how could the prosecution counter these psychological issues? Support your viewpoint.
Submit your answers in a 500-750 word paper in Microsoft Word to the Facilitator.
Blooms: 4
Completion time: 1.5 hours
Grade: 33
Assignment:
Criminal Case with Civil Ramifications
Go to the following court TV link:
http://www.courttv.com/home_news/index.html
Search for informational links that pertain to the incident involving Brian Nichols. Answer the following questions:
a) Briefly describe the criminal activity that Brian Nichols engaged in on March 12, 2005.
b) Explain the legal issue.
c) Do you think that there were errors made by law enforcement during this case? If so do you think that a civil suit might follow? Be specific and provide support for your answer.
Submit your answers in a 500-750 word paper in Word format to the instructor.
Blooms: 4
Completion time: 1.5 hours
Grade: 34
2 / § Overview
§ Legal Issues in Criminal Responsibility & Competency
§ Civil Commitment
§ Summary
§ PSY 422_Week Two Assignments / Reading
§ Following chapters from the assigned textbook, Psychology & the Law
Chapter 4: Mental Health Law: Competencies and Criminal Responsibility
Chapter 5: Mental Health Law: Civil Commitment
While reading, make notes of pertinent and important facts. You will be required to reference your readings in discussions and apply them in the week's assignments.
Blooms: 2
Completion time: 1.5 hours / DQ1 is mandatory.
DQ1
Why is a defendant’s Mental State at the Time of the Offense (MSO) important from a legal standpoint? What is the role of a forensic psychologist in such cases? What mistakes might a forensic psychologist make when conducting this type of evaluation?
Blooms: 4
Grade: 66
DQ2
Why is a defendant’s Competency to Stand Trial (CST) important from a legal standpoint? Be sure to address the role that psychiatric diagnosis might play in this type of a case.
Blooms: 4
Grade: 66
DQ3
Do you agree or disagree with the concept of “civil commitment”? What is the role of a forensic psychologist in such cases? What mistakes might a forensic psychologist make when conducting this type of an evaluation?
Blooms: 4
Grade: 66
DQ4
Why it is important to have laws that specifically address civil commitment? What are some of the benefits for having these laws that regulate this procedure?
Blooms: 4
Grade: 66
DQ5
Discuss how MMPI-II would be used during a legal case that focuses on one of the following:
a) Competency
b) Criminal responsibility
c) Civil commitment
Would it be better to use MMPI-II rather than a projective personality instrument? Why or why not?
Blooms: 4
Completion time: 2.5 hours for all DQ’s
Grade: 66
Case Study: Homicide at Jake’s Bar and Grill
At midnight the police were summoned to a homicide scene at Jake’s Bar and Grill. At the scene witnesses reported that a man, John Q., had been drinking a lot that evening. Reportedly after the bartender refused to serve Mr. Q due to his apparent intoxication, Mr. Q left the bar. Allegedly about half an hour later he returned with a semi-automatic weapon and began firing at the patrons until he ran out of bullets. Upon arriving at the scene the police found Mr. Q covered in blood sitting quietly in a corner.
The Trial
a) What psychological factors might be important to this case?
b) What legal issues are pertinent to this case?
c) Explain what type of a defense Mr.Q might raise. Why would this type of defense be advantageous?
d) You are hired as a forensic psychologist in this case.
e. Based on the defense strategy listed in question c, discuss all the areas that will be the focus of your assessment. Make sure that you address the types of assessment instruments you would use and the reason you are choosing to use them.
Write a memorandum to the client’s attorney explaining your answers to the questions above. Make sure that your memo is something that an attorney could use to assist him in developing an trying a case.
Blooms: 4
Completion time: 3 hours
Grade: 66
Custody and Release
Imagine that John Q. in the above case was actually sentenced to 10 years in prison and that you are a member of the prison mental heath team. Your team has been asked by the prison’s chief psychologist to submit a report about Mr. Q’s mental state prior to his release. Specifically as Mr. Q’s release date approaches your team is asked to consider the option of civilly committing Mr. Q. at the end of his sentence.
a) Why would your team consider this? Specifically what events might have occurred over Mr.Q’s sentence that would lead the team to consider this type of an action?
b) Is a mental health treatment team legally allowed to make such a suggestion? Why or why not?
c) What type of evidence would support the team’s belief that Mr.Q should be civilly committed?
d) Do you believe that state governments should have the right to civilly commit inmates as they complete their sentences? Why or why not? Be specific and provide support your answer.
Write up a report for your supervisor outlining your team’s assessment of Mr. Q’s mental state based on your answers to the questions above.
Blooms: 4
Completion time: 3 hours
Grade: 68
3 / § Overview
§ Structure and Function of the Jury
§ The Jury and Psychology
q Decision Making Process
§ Summary
§ PSY 422 _Week Three Assignments / Reading
§ Following chapters from the assigned textbook, Psychology and Law:
o Chapter 6: The Psychology of the Jury: Procedural Considerations
o Chapter 7 – The Psychology of the Jury: Jury Decision Making
While reading, make notes of pertinent and important facts. You will be required to reference your readings in discussions and apply them in the week's assignments.
Blooms: 2
Completion time: 2.5 hours / DQ1 is mandatory.
DQ1
During the 2004 U.S. presidential elections, there was an active debate over the “problem” of jurors awarding enormous amounts of money to claimants. It was asserted by some that this trend led to increasing insurance costs, which had an overall negative effect on the U.S. economy. You are a jury consultant hired by a congressional committee for the purposes of studying the “psychology of the jury.” What changes would you suggest to improve “jury competence”? Be specific and provide support for your answer.
Blooms: 4
Grade: 51
DQ2
Discuss the role of jury size and decision rule with respect to the amount of evidence being considered during jury deliberation. What in your opinion is the ideal jury size? Why?
Blooms: 4
Grade: 51
DQ3
What specific findings can psychologists or behavioral scientists provide to enhance jury selection or the “voir dire proceeding”?
Opinion question: Do you think that this is within the parameters of the field of psychology, or are psychologists acting outside their area of expertise? Be specific and provide support for your answer.
Blooms: 6
Grade: 51
DQ4
Knowing what we do about the jury selection process, are defendants actually tried by a “jury of one’s peers”? Why or why not? Be specific and provide support for your answer.