Forensic Psychology

 Forensic Psychology

Introduction

Forensic psychology are the two words where we have to know first what is forensic means the things relating to or denoting the application of scientific methods and techniques to the investigations of crime or it means relation to the court of law. as well as we can say the Forensic means the scientific tests or techniques used in connection with the detection of crime. now it means the psychology is going to connect with the court of law. so the Forensic Psychology is a branch of psychology which relates to the law now the use of psychology is in the court of justice, crime investigation and criminal justice system. forensic psychology is use of psychological practice and principles and applying them to the legal system mainly in court of law. 

here now the psychologist going to produce various types of finding, results, examinations and output of psychological evidences before the court of law. as we can say the application of the science in the criminal and civil law.

the forensic scientist  collects, preserve and analyze scientific evidence during the course of an investigation. in that ways the forensic scientist are visits to crime scene to collect the essential evidences, sends to the laboratory, analyze it with various therapies and theories to produce before the court. in addition to their library role, forensic scientist testify as expert witness in all type of cases with the prosecution and defense related.

History 

The facts which have been shown that the lack of practice forensic science in the ancient world that whey the accused  and was very difficult punish the offered and also to find out the failure of the justice. the first written account of using medicine and entomology to solve criminal cases is attributed to the book of Xi Yuan Lu to be known as translated as Washing Away of Wrongs,  Written in China by  Song Ci in 1886-1249 in1248, who was a director of justice, jail and supervision, during the Song's Dynasty.

The method of collation forensic evidence and scientific evidences like collection on saliva and examination of the mouth and tongue to determine innocence of guilt and prediction of the offender as a precursor to polygraph test, in ancient India , some suspects were made to fill their mouths with dried rice and spit it back out. similarly, in ancient China, those accused of a crime would have rice powder placed in their mouths, this was the little more towards the forensic science and forensic psychology.

In Europe in the 16th century the medical practitioner and forensic psychologist form the army and university begins to collect the information to be know causes and reasons of the death. Amboise  Pare, a French army surgeon, systematically studied the effects of violent death on internal organs. then two Italian surgeon's, Fortunato Fidelis and Paolo Zacchia, laid the foundation of modern pathology by studying changes  that occurred in the structure of the body as the result of disease. in the 18th century the topics regarding forensic psychology found in their writing. theses included a Treatise on Forensic Medicine and Public Health by the French physician Francois Immanuel Fodere and The Complete System of Police Medicine by the German medical expert Johann Peter Frank. there after in the 18th century this system was more developed and criminal investigation was more scientific with the help of the psychology with more evidenced based and rational procedure. that time the use of the torture as tool of the confession was inhuman so it influence to court decision and injustice was there. but in 1784 in Lancaster, John Toms was tried  and convicted for murdering Edward Culshaw with a pistol, when the dead body of Culshaw was examined , a pistol was found in the hand his hand wound matched perfectly with a torn newspaper found in Toms's Pocket, leading to the conviction.

in late 19th and early 20th centuries Hans Gross applied scientific method to crime scene. Edomnd Locard expanded on gross work with Locard;s Exchange principle which stated whenever tow objects come into contact with one another, material are exchanged between them. this means that every contact by a criminal leaves a trace. Locard was also known as the Sherlock Holmes of France. then 20th century  several British pathologist, found new forensic Science methods. Alec Jefferys found the use of DNA profiling in forensic science in 1984 and also realized the DNA fingerprinting which uses the variations in the genetic code to identify individuals. but now in 21st century we have very developed forensic psychology with use of advanced technology. 

Nature of Forensic Psychology

Forensic Psychology is the field combines the practice of psychology and law.

The word forensic is derived from the Latin word Forensic which means the "The Forum" or the court system of ancient times of Rome. the application of psychology in the field of law is the major concern is its very difficult task for the psychologist who transferring information of science in to law as well producing evidence before the court of law. recently forensic psychology grows on world wide level also its gradate program, law, legal field, education and expertise and its to be considered as science of human behavior and law concern.  such Forensic Psychology mainly deals with competency evaluation, sentencing recommendation, risk evaluation, risk of reoffending, testimony as expert witness, child custody evaluation, academic research on criminality, consult with law enforcement, treatment with child offender, psychological treatment of inmates and offender, trial consultation, help to jury, solicitor, witness protection, legal strategies, design correctional program, therapy suggest about behavior. the role under the clinical psychology, school psychology, neurologist counselor and which gives psychology expertise provide testimony analysis recommendation in legal and criminal cases, mental health service as assessment, diagnosis and treatment to individual, contact with criminal justice system, determination suspected offender or it has any mental illness, individual treatment, substance abuse or any adulteration of drug.

Scope of Forensic Psychology

applied in prison, rehabilitation centers, police departments, law firms, schools, governments agencies and in private practice, direct with the attorney, defendants, corrections and rehabilitation centers. psychologist focus on study of psychology and law, also work in college , universities to arching and examining the interaction of human behavior, criminology and other legal system. the forensic psychology is itself having wide scope  and variety of education, training and work experience and expertise. psychologist plays multiple role and multiple services involvement. the psychologist working in corrections may attend the mental heath care needs of prisoners like screening, psychological assessment, individual therapy, group therapy, anger management, crisis management, assessment of mitigating factors, crisis management,  handle court situations and daily parents visit. also consult with and assessment with prison staff, inmate attorney, advocates and other staff. in this work the psychologist also work with mental ill offender, habitual, sexual offenders, minor and his parents, parental custody with its related medication and counselling and crisis management. such psychologist must possess solid clinical skill and experience to Handel the different type of persons and patients and other skills like clinical assessment, interviewing, report writing, strong observation, communication skill, expert witness in court, threat assessment in school, problem understanding skill, handle post traumatic disorder, handling criminals, counseling of victim and death notification.

Forensic Psychology in Court 

Family Court

Various duties and tasks psychologist need to play in the Court about child witness, child custody, child victim and child offender, mediation to parents, child abuse, child adoption, family union, marriage reunion, settlement of major and minor disputes, problem solving, individual assessment. reunion breaking relations with other family members. problem solving strategies and plans. termination of parents right, to find out relationship problem solutions. parent children conflict.

the treatment over such matter like counseling and psychotherapy like parent child counseling, therapeutic supervision and visitation, parenting skills training, anger management, divorce adjustment and other member of  family adjustment and settlement, parent communication skill. 

Civil Court

Not criminal matter also psychology need to involve and useful for the personal Injury Evaluation, Second Opinion Evaluation, stress regarding different issues, property and economy related matters, workers problems, compensation or fine, property distribution, contact failure, biggest deal failure, her psychologist are involve to corrections the problems of stress and depression and as well as fear of court decision about to loss of money and property and also affects over the other relationship.

here psychologist also provides the patients and different persons as psychotherapy and counselling about anxiety, depression, anger management, mood adjustment and stability.

Criminal Court

Psychologist involve in cases like Juvenile cases, juvenile probation, child witness, crime scene  visit, to meet victim, understand victim injuries, victim statement, sentencing and presentencing. jail staff, inmates visit. under trial prisoners.

counseling to individual , juvenile, victims , individual trial, training to skill violent offenders, treatment of sexual offenders.

Forensic Psychology in Prison

Prisoners lives behind bar, away from the family, marriages, job, friends, community and religious activities, puts them in to extremely moral bad environment for many years. so they involve themselves, makes inmate gangs, partition. some of them are beaten, raped, physical and mental abused, brutalized and living in danger life.

overcrowding is evil of all prisons, but open prison best measure. HR said near about all Indian prisons are overcrowded and all prison are entitled to hygiene, sunlight and fresh air, ventilation and assured good heath and nutrition. still many more problems till today.

prison suicide and prison torture is also common now days.

psychologist and social workers regularly visits curb problems.

conversation with prisoners and to get know their problems. repair their wrongful actions. reduce alcoholism issue through medication. maintain psychological and emotional balance.

prison and probation service.

carrying one on one assessment, risk offending , sex offender treatment program, suicide cases, self injury. high risk behavior

presenting findings, advising prison governance on incidences, contribution of diff. techniques, group program development, enhancement thinking skill, personality disorder, check and monitoring individuals, risk assessment, serious incidences cognizance, consultancy to prison staff, stress management, meet social workers, management and administration of prison. work with judicial and legal panel. drug control, drug addiction treatment program.

Stress on rehabilitation and reformation process - make them involve in work, education, earnings, farming, religious programs, yoga, mediation, self improve trainings, innovative practices, open prison.

Forensic Psychology in Police

The psychology is being used with the police is called as Police and Public Safety Psychology recognized formally in 2013 in American Psychological Association.

In this field police required as special knowledge for the functioning  of policing and public safety and personal safety and as well get release of unusual stress and trauma and other tension relating to work. the police psychologist involves the science and professional psychology for crisis intervention, hostage  negotiation, criminal profiling, psychological autopsy, epidemiological factors.

the police psychology helps to develop the profiling of the various types of criminals there also provides teaching and training the police officers to crisis management, dealing to critical situation, deal mentally ill individuals, after dealing with the critical situation like encounter, firing, working with dead bodies and victims here psychology plays vital role. use of psychological theories in legal issues, to investigate psychological disorder with the help of police.

the police always needs to work with harder criminals, court dealing with precaution and defenses councils, crime scene visit, dealing with mentally ill persons, visits mental hospital. involvement in stressful job. 

the police agencies are educating and training  their officers to manage job related tasks to deal with stressful life and recognize the stress reactions and learning skills to managed their potentials harmful effects and mental health support, establish peer team support and visit to police departments, restoring normalcy, lives and help police administration identify officers who need professional mental health support. to evaluate and mange job tasks and duties and trainings, reviewing departmental literatures like police manuals rules and procedures, policies and general orders. carrying out fitness for duty assessment.