What is forensic psychology?

"Forensic psychology" sometimes conjures images of crime scene investigations or criminal profiling amongst the lay public. However, the reality of the discipline is considerably more mundane. Forensic psychology exists at the interface between psychology and law. It involves the use of psychological principles to assist with legal and administrative decisions. While the evaluation of things like competency to stand trial, criminal responsibility, diminished capacity, and sex offender risk may most frequently be thought of in association with forensic psychology, the truth is that many other types of evaluations are most appropriately considered to be forensic. These include, but are not limited to, mental health evaluations of personal injury, disability, fitness for duty, competency to manage one's own affairs, parental fitness, factors related to the credibility of abuse allegations, and competency to testify. Forensic psychology sometimes applies traditional psychological knowledge and sometimes applies knowledge specific to the specialty area. It may sometimes follow a layperson's perception of common sense, but research sometimes proves that "common sense" to be dead wrong.

To appropriately understand forensic psychology, it is helpful to draw contrasts between traditional psychology and forensic psychology. Even mental health providers sometimes blur the lines between the two in ways that create ethical problems and malpractice exposure. Some distinctions between the two are as follows: 
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Traditional Psychology

• Emphasizes helping the client (defined as the person seeking evaluation or treatment).​

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• ​​​Diagnosis (DSM-V) is central to treatment strategy, insurance coverage, etc.​​​

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• ​Recognizes that almost all human behavior falls on a continuum, or normal curve, and is multiply determined.​​

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• Reports focus upon explaining the patient’s behavior.

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• Involves an implicit belief in the truthfulness of the patient’s report in interview and testing.  Inaccuracy is viewed as arising from lack of insight or personality characteristics.​ ​​

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• In some cases, merges theory with fact.

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• The science of psychology recognizes a .05 level of statistical significance.​

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• Professionals are accountable to organizations like APA and to licensure boards, but generally receive little scrutiny in individual cases.​

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• The recipient of services is the client.  Privilege, duty, etc. belong to that individual.​

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• Emphasizes support and empathy.​

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• Relatively unstructured.

Forensic Psychology

• Emphasizes providing accurate information to the client (defined as an administrative or judicial institution; the client is NOT the person being seen).

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• Specific diagnosis is less critical than legal or administrative standards (e.g., "sufficient present ability to consult with his attorney with a reasonable degree of rational understanding and a rational and factual understanding of the proceedings against him").​

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• Serves systems that recognize discrete categories (i.e., sane or insane, competent or incompetent, disabled or not disabled) and linear causality.​​

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• Reports focus upon the provision of information relevant to specific legal questions (e.g., is the person competent to stand trial?).

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• Involves explicit questioning of the truthfulness of the evaluee’s report and awareness of potential ulterior motives.  Utilizes tests of response bias.  and collateral sources of information.

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• MUST be factually based.

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• Recognizes various standards of proof: “As likely as not,” preponderance of evidence, clear and convincing evidence, reasonable doubt, a reasonable degree of professional certainty.​

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• Professionals and their work are routinely scrutinized by administrators, judges, attorneys, etc.  There is accountability to all of these parties, as well as to traditional institutions.

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• The person or agency requesting the evaluation is the client.  The goal is objective assessment, regardless of the outcome for examinee or client.​

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• Strives for detachment, neutrality, and objectivity.
  

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• Considerably more structure.