Forensic Psychology 1


Gacono, Carl B. (2000), The Clinical and Forensic Assessment of
Psychopathy Practitioners Guide.
London: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates .
(Chapters 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 13).

Howitt, Dennis), (2009) , Introduction to Forensic and Criminal Psychology:
3rd Edition.
London: Pearson Prentice Hall – Chapter 20.

Millon, Theodore; Simonsen, Erik; Birket-Smith, Morten; and Davis, Roger D.
(1998), Psychopathy: antisocial, criminal and violent behaviour.
New York:
Guilford .
(Reading: Chapters 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 10, 12, 27).
Articles:

Hare, Robert D. (1998).
The Hare PCL-R: Some issues concerning it's use and misuse . Legal and Criminal Psychology. 3, 99-119.

Herpertz, Sabine and Sass, Henning (1997).
Psychopathy and antisocial syndromes . Current Opinion in Psychiatry. 10, 436-440.
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Forensic Psychology


Examine the link between mental illness and crime
 Describe what is meant by the term “psychopathy” and understand the difficulties associated with defining psychopathy

Describe the usefulness of the Hare Psychopathy Checklist –
Revised (PCL-R).

Examine the concept of assessing risk and recidivism in forensic populations.
3
Forensic Psychology


Concept of Mental Illness is perceived in different ways between the professions of psychology and law. The media have an effect on the public perception of mental illness and crime.

Link et al (1992) –Sample of 500 never treated residents/mental patients in NYC. Psychiatric Epidemiology
Research Interview – assessing mental illness symptoms.
Although patients reported higher levels of violence, age, gender and education level were a higher predictor of violent behaviour than psychotic symptoms.
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Forensic Psychology


Swanson (1990) – US study using the Diagnostic Interview
Schedule. While schizophrenia was associated with violence, substance abuse was a greater predictor in the likelihood of violent behaviour.

Hodgins (1997) Stockholm – 15,000 born in 1953



MEN - 32% with no mental illness criminals/ 50% of mentally ill criminal
WOMEN - 6% with no mental illness criminals/ 19% of mentally ill criminal
Why?
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Forensic Psychology

“We cannot treat, except empirically, what we do not understand and we cannot prevent what we do not comprehend”
Brittain (1970)
Pinel (1800 ’s)
“Manie Sans Delire” – insanity without a confusion of mind.
Patients engaged in impulsive and self damaging acts, despite the fact that their reasoning was intact and that they knew what they were doing was irrational.
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Forensic Psychology

Cleckley (1976) – “The Mask of Sanity” – Proposed that psychopaths present a convincing mask with superficial charm, good intelligence, etc, yet are impulsive, have poor judgment and lack remorse.

16 characteristics including interpersonal, affective, cognitive and behavioural characteristics associated with an impulsive, irresponsible lifestyle.
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Forensic Psychology


Superficial Charm

Absence of Delusions

Absence of Nervousness

Unreliability

Lying

Lack of Remorse

Anti-social Behaviour

Poor Judgment

Egocentric

Poor Reactions

Lack of insight

Unresponsiveness in interpersonal relations

Alternative behaviour

Threat of Suicide

Promiscuous

Lack of Life Plan
Forensic Psychology
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
Antisocial Personality Disorder(ASPD)

Sociopathy

Psychopathy
(Terms used interchangeably in the literature)
Sociopathy diagnosis in DSM I
– sexual deviation, alcoholism and anti-social behaviour were features.
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Forensic Psychology


18 years

Conduct Disorder before age 15

Violations of law

Disregard for others/self

Deceitfulness

Impulsivity

Irritable/aggressive

Lack of Remorse
Forensic Psychology
10

PCL-R – 20 item 40 point scale completed with a semi-structured interview, and a review of independent and historical and contemporaneous data
PCL-SV – 12 item scale

Factor 1 – Interpersonal/affective features – callousness, lack of remorse.

Factor 2 – behavioural/affective features – socially deviant lifestyle.
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Forensic Psychology

1.
Glibness/Superficial Charm
2.
Grandiose sense of self-worth
3.
Need for stimulation/proneness to boredom
4.
Pathological Lying
5.
Conning/Manipulative
Forensic Psychology
12

6.
Lack of remorse or Guilt
7.
Shallow Affect
8.
Callous/Lack of Empathy
9.
Parasitic Lifestyle
10.
Poor Behavioural Controls
Forensic Psychology
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11.
Promiscuous Sexual Behaviour
12.
Early Behavioural Problems
13.
Lack of Realistic Long Term Goals
14.
Impulsivity
15.
Irresponsibility
Forensic Psychology
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16.
Failure to accept Responsibility for Own Actions
17.
Many Short Term Marital Relationships
18.
Juvenile Delinquency
19.
Revocation of Conditional Release
20.
Criminal Versatility
Forensic Psychology
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Behavioural Criteria in ASPD – behaviour that is observable and can be agreed on by clinicians, but

Does not inform us about character

Does not predict behaviour

Does not suggest any specific type of treatment

Most psychopaths will meet criteria for DSM ASPD but ASPD will not meet criteria for psychopathy
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Forensic Psychology

Psychopathy – behavioural criteria and personality traits
APA (1994) – forensic population study:

80% met criteria for ASPD

15-25% met criteria for psychopath.
Quinsey, Rice & Harris follow-up study of offenders(1995):

Psychopath – 80% committed offences

Non-psychopath – 20% committed violent offences
Forensic Psychology
17


Historical information

Record review

Clinical Interview

Greater than or equal to 30 psychopath

Over 32.5
– likely to be violent .
Forensic Psychology
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