Forensic Psychology (eBook)

David A. Crighton, Graham J. Towl (Herausgeber)

eBook Download: EPUB

2021 | 3. Auflage
John Wiley & Sons (Verlag)
9781119673729 (ISBN)

Infos

FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY

Explore the theory, research, and practice of forensic psychology with this collection of resources from recognized leaders in the field

The newly revised Third Edition of Forensic Psychology delivers insightful coverage of the theory and applications of forensic psychology. The book combines authoritative scholarship with an unprecedented breadth of international coverage and constitutes an essential resource for all aspects of contemporary forensic and criminal psychology.

The new edition addresses issues of equality, diversity, and inclusion in each section, as well as the uses and abuses of power in forensic contexts. The book takes a constructively critical approach to the dominant theories, policy, and practices of today, as opposed to being merely descriptive, and considers new and developing areas, like the prevention of sexual violence at universities.

Forensic Psychology comprehensively addresses the application of modern forensic techniques and practices to the civil and criminal justice systems in the United Kingdom. Each chapter concludes with some specific suggestions for further reading. Additionally, readers will enjoy the inclusion of a wide variety of topics, like:

• A thorough discussion of investigative and clinical practice, including the politics of forensic psychology, offender profiling, eyewitness testimony, and jury decision making
• An examination of clinical and risk assessments, including reviews of the key legal issues and principles involved in risk assessments, the role of structured instruments and protocols, and coverage of actuarial and structured clinical methods
• Discussions of working with criminalized populations in prisons and forensic mental health facilities
• A treatment of psychology in the courts with an emphasis on the courts of England and Wales

Perfect for graduate level students in forensic psychology courses, Forensic Psychology will also earn a place in the libraries of qualified forensic psychologist practitioners and postgraduate students seeking to improve their understanding of forensic psychology with a high-quality international textbook underpinned by considerations of human rights and ethical standards.

David A. Crighton is Hon. Professor of Forensic Psychology at Durham University. He was formally Deputy Chief Psychologist in the UK Ministry of Justice. He is a past Chair of the BPS Expert Witness Advisory Group and a past Secretary and Treasurer of the British Psychological Society, Division of Forensic Psychology.

Graham J. Towl is Professor of Forensic Psychology, Durham University and visiting Clinical Professor, University of Newcastle. He was formally the Chief Psychologist at the Ministry of Justice, UK, and uniquely is the recipient of BPS awards for Distinguished Contributions to Professional practice and forensic academic knowledge. His research interests are wide currently including suicide in prisons and sexual violence at universities.

Textauszug

1
Introduction

Graham J. Towl and David A. Crighton

CHAPTER OUTLINE

1. JUSTICE
2. EXPERT CONTROVERSIES
3. HUMAN RIGHTS AND ETHICS
4. DEVELOPMENTAL PERSPECTIVES
5. INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION ISSUES
6. PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT
7. CRITICAL PSYCHOLOGY
8. SUBSTANCE USE
9. EARLY INTERVENTION
10. JUSTICE RESTORED

Forensic psychology is a broad and growing area which, at its best, draws on a wide range of psychological theories, concepts and research at the interface between law and psychology. This text sets out to reflect the increasing breadth and depth of this work and the challenges inherent in it. It is intended to be a high‐quality international textbook for advanced undergraduate students, postgraduates, practitioners and academics from a range of disciplines.

A number of key aims are central to this third edition of the text. The first aim is to strike a balance in covering theory, research and practice, making this useful to students, qualified psychologists and those in other professions who draw on forensic psychology in their practice. Each of the authors has sought to provide the highest‐quality reviews addressing current theory and practice. Secondly, there is stress throughout on new and emerging perspectives on forensic psychology and the role of research in driving these. In this spirit, current controversies have not been oversimplified or shied away from. Critiques from within and outside forensic psychology have been included, some of which suggest the need for fundamental changes. As with any other intellectual endeavour using scientific methods, it also requires the sometimes painful discipline of discarding theories, policies and practices that fail when tested (Kuhn, 2012). In the absence of this discipline, practice in forensic psychology ceases to be part of ‘science’. A third theme that runs through this book is the importance of ethical practice and respect for human rights, diversity and inclusion. Forensic psychology generally involves the application of psychology in the context of marked difference in power, where ethical and legal concerns may be acute. Scientific approaches alone are, therefore, not enough. Major areas of forensic psychology in correctional1 settings, secure hospitals and social care settings necessarily involve coercion: involving work with those imprisoned in a variety of settings or facing the risk of punishment within legal systems. Here, the power imbalances between different groups are starkly exposed, and a good understanding of these ethical issues is essential as a starting point in avoiding abuses of the past. The nature of ethical practice and the need to protect human rights are themes woven through this text and tackled directly by a number of the authors.

At this point, it is not possible to claim this to be a new discipline finding its way, or to be naive to potential abuses. Taking stock of the current situation is, therefore, crucial to future development. This requires acknowledgement of past successes and also recognition of failures. The use of scientific methods is stressed by contributors of this text, as is the use of the scientist–practitioner model of applied psychology. It is argued that forensic psychology requires a high level of scientific training and critical thinking. Accordingly, progress does not come as a result of deference to authority or tradition. It is achieved through openness, critical reflection and constructive challenge. In turn, this requires well‐trained, professional and reflective practitioners who are supported to critically engage with the assumptions and evidence that underpin current practice. This third edition reflects this expansion with contributions from a number of new researchers and practitioners, who have expanded and developed the field. New and emerging areas of research and practice have been introduced by talented contributors, and these are starting to influence and shape the future of forensic psychology.

Since the publication of the second edition of this book, the growth in the academic base of forensic psychology has continued to be seen in the availability and popularity of both undergraduate and postgraduate courses. The term ‘forensic’ continues to be juxtaposed with a range of areas of academic study, including anthropology, archaeology, computing, engineering, investigation, measurement, psychobiology, psychology and science (UCAS, 2020). This is also evident in much professional practice. In the field of health, this has been seen in the development of forensic psychiatric nursing, psychiatry, occupational therapy and social work.

There have been a number of significant changes and developments in forensic psychology in recent years. The growth in the number of posts in health and criminal justice has continued to slow internationally. The United Kingdom provides a good illustration of these developments, with reductions in the total number of psychological staff employed in prisons and probation and little growth in secure health and social care settings. This, in part, reflects changes in government policies across the United Kingdom, and in particular reduced funding of public services, but it also reflects some of the disappointing evaluation results. Interventions aimed at addressing the so‐called ‘Dangerous Severe Personality Disorder’ and later ‘Severe Personality Disorder’ have been disappointing, suggesting that such work was an expensive means to extend the detention of prisoners without positive effect. Large‐scale sex offender treatment interventions in prisons have yielded even more troubling results, with ‘treatment’ leading to increased rates of reoffending and increased risk to the public. As a discipline, we have by no means always followed the science.

There has been a growth of practice in other settings, with an increasing breadth of the areas where forensic psychology is applied. This has included development of work in the courts, in areas such as investigation and policing and in addressing new areas such as community‐based interventions. This has been matched by continued growth in the higher education sector to accommodate new courses and the growth of post‐qualification professional training. There has also been a concomitant expansion in the breadth and depth of academic work (Bush, Demakis, and Rohling, 2017; Crighton and Towl, 2008; Towl, Farrington, Crighton, and Hughes, 2008). As noted in previous editions, not all of the developments in forensic psychology have been positive, and efforts to restrict and narrow the focus of practice and theoretical perspectives have not entirely gone away. There has been a continued divergence within forensic psychology, with some areas seeing positive developments and others becoming more restricted. In what might broadly be termed ‘community approaches’, there has been a marked growth in the quality of practice and the range of perspectives seen. For example, the growth, internationally, in earlier years’ interventions were based in large part on the influential work of David Farrington. There has also been a notable extension to areas that, in the past, psychologists had little to say about—such as sociopolitical violence. This is discussed in detail in the chapter on safeguarding and preventing harmful practice by Brian Thomas‐Peter and Rebecca Lawday and also in the chapter on the politics of forensic psychology by Graham J. Towl. By contrast, the types of work conducted in correctional settings such as prisons and high‐security mental hospitals have continued to largely stagnate, especially perhaps following some of the disappointing results from some international evaluation studies. The striking overinvestment in cognitive behavioural group work, designed with the aim of reducing the risk of reoffending in convicted groups, has continued. Such work has become increasingly standardised, manual‐based and also mandated and marketed. Examples here would be the development of sexual predator treatment programmes in prisons in the United States (Marques, Wiederanders, Day, Nelson, and Van Ommeren, 2005), but the approach has been replicated to a greater or lesser extent in many other correctional settings.

For the previous edition, we sought to draw together a textbook aimed chiefly but not exclusively at those engaged in forensic practice. That continues to be a major aim of the text here too. As previously, a range of new perspectives have been added to offer a constructively critical analysis of forensic psychology, covering the field in breadth and also depth.

In seeking to do this, we have divided the text into three sections, although any such division is necessarily subject to significant overlaps, and this text is no exception to that. This begins with the contributions of forensic psychology to the legal process and, in particular, what may be termed ‘investigative practice’, covering some of the main ways in which psychology contributes to the detection and legal process. This is followed by a section covering what has been broadly termed clinical contributions, looking at the various ways in which psychology may be applied over the life course of individuals. The final section goes on to address the broader professional, legal and ethical issues that arise in forensic psychology, including coverage of the...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 7.5.2021
• Reihe/Serie: BPS Textbooks in Psychology
• Reihe/Serie: BPS Textbooks in Psychology
• Reihe/Serie: BPS Textbooks in Psychology
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Psychologie
• Themenwelt: Studium ► 2. Studienabschnitt (Klinik) ► Rechtsmedizin
• Schlagworte: Forensic Psychology • Forensik • Forensische Psychologie • Psychologie • Psychology
• ISBN-13: 9781119673729 / 9781119673729