Psychology 480
Forensic Psychology
Fall 2011
Tuesdays and Thursdays 12:30 -1:45
Education
Room 211
________________________________________________________________________
Instructor:
Judith V. Becker, Ph.D.
Office:
523 Psychology
Phone:
621-7455
Email:
jvbecker@u.arizona.edu (please contact through U of A email NOT d2l email)
Office hours: Wednesdays 10:30 to 12:30AM
TA: Florencia Lebensohn
Email: flc@email.arizona.edu (please contact through U of A email NOT d2l email)
Office: 131 Psychology
Office Hours: Tuesdays 2:00-3:00PM
TA: Sita Nojopranoto
Email: sitanojo@email.arizona.edu (please contact through U of A email NOT d2l email)
Office: 410 Psychology
Office Hours: Thursdays 2:00-3:00PM
TA: Michelle Sandoval
Email: msandoua@email.arizona.edu (please contact through U of A email NOT d2l email)
Office: 429 Psychology
Office Hours: Monday 2:00-4:00PM
________________________________________________________________________
Course Description
The major goal of this course is to provide a broad overview of the field of forensic psychology
and the numerous ways that psychology interacts with the law.
The discipline of forensic psychology has become extremely popular for students over the past
two decades, in part because of numerous TV programs addressing the topic such as: Law &
Order, CSI, Criminal Minds, to name a few. Forensic psychology courses are being taught in
numerous universities and there are now over 20 graduate programs in the United States offering
doctorates in either forensic psychology or psychology and law. A good understanding of
forensic psychology will benefit students entering into a number of professions including:
corrections, child protective services, probation, mental health, forensic sciences, the law, etc.
Forensic psychology addresses the application of psychological research, methods, and expertise
to issues that come before the legal system. Some topics include, insanity, competency, juryselection, expert-testimony, decision making, child custody, dangerousness, and interrogations
Textbook
Costanzo, M. & Krauss, D. (2010). Legal and Forensic Psychology. New York: Worth
Publishers.
Any other assigned readings will be posted on D2L.
Evaluation
There will be four multiple choice exams. Each exam will be worth 25 points.
Exam 1:
25 points
Exam 2:
25 points
Exam 3:
25 points
Exam 4:
25 points
Total possible: 100 points
Your letter grade will be determined in the following way. All students will receive a letter grade
depending on the percentage of total points accumulated over the course of the class. The
following scale will be applied:
90% and above = A
80% - 89%
=B
70% - 79%
=C
60% - 69%
=D
Below 60%
=E
Once the exam is distributed, no one will be allowed to leave the exam room for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, students who have completed the exam will be allowed to turn in their exam
and leave. NO STUDENTS WILL BE PERMITTED TO ENTER THE EXAM ROOM
AFTER 20 MINUTES.
Appeals
To question or review your score and test answers, it must be done within ONE WEEK
after the particular exam. No exceptions will be made.
Absences and Make-up Exams:
All holidays and special events observed by organized religions will be honored for those
students who show affiliation with that particular religion. Absences pre-approved by the UA
Dean of Students (or Dean’s designee) will be honored. In the unfortunate event you should miss
a class; you will have to borrow notes from another class member. You will also be held
responsible for any changes or additions to the syllabus announced in class.
Make-up exams will only be permitted when absolutely necessary. In order to take a make-up
exam, the student must have a valid, documented reason for having missed the exam. This
reason must be that you were too physically ill to have attended the exam (and you must have
verification). Make-up exams will not be permitted unless the student has contacted, by
telephone or email, the instructor prior to 9:00 pm on the day before the scheduled exam.
Accommodations:
Students who are registered with the Disability Resource Center are asked to submit appropriate
documentation to a teaching assistant as soon as possible if you are requesting reasonable
accommodations. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact a TA or the instructor.
If you anticipate barriers related to the format or requirements of this course, please meet with
me so that we can discuss ways to ensure your full participation in the course. If you determine
that disability-related accommodations are necessary, please register with Disability Resources
(621-3268; drc.arizona.edu) and notify me of your eligibility for reasonable accommodations.
We can then plan how best to coordinate your accommodations.
Academic Integrity:
Any violation of the University’s Code of Academic Integrity, found at
http://web.arizona.edu/~studpubs/policies/cacaint.htm, including cheating and plagiarism, will
lead to a faculty-student conference and possible sanctions. Plagiarism and/or cheating will
result in an automatic ‘0’ on the assignment at hand and if it occurs a second time an ‘F’ in the
course. Be sure to read this Code.
Classroom Behavior:
The university seeks to promote a teaching and learning environment free from material and
substantial classroom disruptions. Consequently, it is expected that all pagers and cell phones
will be turned off during class, that there will be no extraneous talking during lecture, and that
students will arrive at class on time. Additionally, the University prohibits any threatening
behavior, defined as “any statement, communication, conduct, or gesture, including those in
written form, directed toward any member of the University community that causes a reasonable
apprehension of physical harm to a person or property.” The University’s policy regarding
threatening behavior can be found at http://web.arizona.edu/~policy/threaten.shtml.
Date
Topic
Schedule of Topics and Readings
Readings
08/23

Introduction and review of Syllabus
Read Syllabus
Th 08/25

Psychology & Law: A Cautious
Chapter 1
T
Alliance
T 08/30

Interrogations and Confessions
Chapter 2
Th 09/01

Lie Detection
Chapter 3
T 09/06

Film
Th 09/08

The Psychology of Forensic
Chapter 4
Identification
T 09/13

Film
Th 09/15

Criminal Profiling and
Chapter 5
Psychological Autopsies
T 09/20*

Jury Selection
Chapter 6
Th 09/22

Exam 1
Chapters 1-6
T 09/27

Eyewitness Identification and
Chapter 7
Testimony
Th 09/29

Competency to Stand Trial
T 10/04

Competency to Stand Trial
Th 10/06

Speaker on Mental Health Court
See d2l for reading
T 10/11

Insanity Defense
Chapter 9
Th 10/13

Speaker
See d2l for reading
T 10/18

Exam 2
Chapters 7-9 (plus
Chapter 8
speakers)
Th 10/20

Battered Women Syndrome, Rape
Chapter 10
Trauma Syndrome, and
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
T 10/25

Speaker
See d2l for readings
Th 10/27

Interviewing Children and
Chapter 11
Memories of Sexual Abuse
T 11/01*

Video
Th 11/03*

Speaker
See d2l for readings
T 11/08

Child Custody Disputes & Parental
Chapter 12
Competence
Th 11/10

Exam 3
Chapters 10-12 (plus
speakers/films)
T 11/15

Juries & Judges as Decision-Makers
Chapter 13
Th 11/17

Predicting Violent Behavior: The
Chapter 14
Psychology of Risk Assessment
T 11/22

Predicting Violent Behavior: The
Psychology of Risk Assessment
Th 11/24*

No Class Thanksgiving Break
T 11/29

Workplace Law: Harassment,
Chapter 15
Discrimination, & Fairness
Th 12/1

Corrections: Sentencing,
Chapter 16
Imprisonment, and Alternatives
T 12/6
Tuesday
December

The Death Penalty

Final Exam
Chapter 17
Education Building Room 211
th
13 at
12:00PM
IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT THE FINAL EXAM:
The final exam for this class is scheduled for Tuesday, December 13th at 12:00 PM. Once the
exam is distributed, no one will be allowed to leave the exam room for 20 minutes (i.e., until
12:20 PM). At 12:20 PM, students who have completed the exam will be allowed to turn in their
exam and leave. NO STUDENTS WILL BE PERMITTED TO ENTER THE EXAM
ROOM AFTER 12:20 PM.
STUDENTS MUST ATTEND THE FINAL; NO ALTERNATIVE ARRANGEMENTS WILL
BE MADE.
Information appearing on the syllabus, other than grade and absence policies may be subject to
change with advanced notice as deemed appropriate by the instructor.