FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY

Catalog description

What does it mean to say that someone is a psychopath? What are the factors that help us predict someone’s risk of future violence? When is someone not legally responsible for a crime they committed? When called upon by the courts to perform an evaluation, how can a psychologist defend their findings in an adversarial courtroom? This course surveys major areas of forensic psychology, which focuses on the science and practice of psychology in legal contexts. Topics include, but are not limited to, roles and responsibilities of forensic psychologists, forensic psychological assessment, psychological theories of criminal behavior and civil commitment.