WHERE THE EVIDENCE LEADS
FORENSICS, JUSTICE, AND CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY
Seminar presentation at Argosy University, Dallas
Texas School of Professional Psychology
April 11, 2013, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.,
FROM THE GATEHOUSE
TO THE COURTHOUSE
AND BEYOND
FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY
WHAT IT IS, WHAT IT ISN’T, AND WHEN TO BE CAREFUL
JUSTICE
And, sometimes, they may
interfere with it.
PSYCHOLOGISTS MAY CONTRIBUTE TO THE QUALITY OF THAT ROAD
JUSTICE – A FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLE
• Accessibility to all for full quality of benefits and
contributions of psychology as delivered by
psychologists
• Use of judgment and precaution “to ensure that
potential biases, the boundaries of competence
and the limitations of expertise do not lead to or
condone unjust practices”
• Consideration should be given to how this principle is
applied in clinical practice when legal issues are present
TO WHOM
DO WE OWE JUSTICE?
AS CLINICIANS AND FORENSIC SPECIALISTS
CONCEPT OF “FORENSIC”
• “Concerned with concrete problems or data rather
than with fundamental principles”
• “Used or applied in the investigation and
establishment of facts or evidence in a court of
law”
PHYSICAL EVIDENCE VS. PSYCHOLOGICAL EVIDENCE
METHODOLOGIES AND TECHNIQUES OF INVESTIGATION
BROAD APPLICATIONS
OF FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY
• Law enforcement
• Correctional settings
• Academic research settings
THE SCOPE OF
“FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY”
• What do forensic psychologists/specialists do?
• Broad definition
• Narrow definition
FORENSIC APPLICATIONS IN
“CLINICAL PRACTICE”
• Clinical
• Assessment
• Treatment
• Quasi forensic applications
• Experimental/Research
TOOLS OF THE PROFESSION
GENERAL
TYPICAL WORK OF FORENSIC
PSYCHOLOGIST
• Child custody evaluations and recommendations
pertaining to “BIOC”
• Presentencing evaluations for likelihood of recidivism
• Mitigation evaluations of defendant’s in capital cases
• Assessment of competency to stand trial
• Assessment of state of mind at time of offense
(Sanity)
• Assessments for dispositional hearings in juvenile
cases
• Assessments of juveniles in motions for transfer to
criminal court
ISSUE SPECIFIC
Increasing range of
issue specific
instruments
INTEGRATION OF
CLINICAL AND FORENSIC ASSESSMENT
After Grisso’s Model of Forensic
Assessment, 2003
WHAT’S YOUR COMFORT LEVEL?
FORENSIC WORK REQUIRES PREPAREDNESS TO TESTIFY
AND THEN,
WHAT ABOUT THE “NON-FORENSIC” PRACTITIONER
JUSTICE
How might a “non-forensic”
therapist become involved in
a civil or criminal case?
HOW IS “JUSTICE” REPRESENTED IN CLINICAL PRACTICE
What’s the role of a
clinician whose
patient/client is a witness
or victim in a pending
case?
JUSTICE
HOW IS “JUSTICE” REPRESENTED IN CLINICAL PRACTICE
FORENSIC CONSIDERATIONS IN
CLINICAL PRACTICE
• What might the implications of
this be?
• For the patient?
• For others?
ANY PSYCHOLOGIST MAY END UP IN COURT
KNOW YOUR ROLE, DO YOUR JOB, AND BE PREPARED
RELEVANT WEB LINKS
• American Board of Forensic Psychology
http://www.abfp.com/
• American Academy of Forensic Psychology
http://www.aafp.ws/
• American Psychology-Law Society
http://www.ap-ls.org/
http://www.aplsstudentsection.com/
http://www.ap-ls.org/ academics/careersoverview.html