The origins of legal psychology
The application of psychology to the legal arena took place even as psychology first developed as a university-based academic discipline. In the history of forensic psychology may be noted several eminent figures, such as J. McKeen Cattell (1895), Alfred Binet (1905) and William Stern (1910), conducted studies of the accuracy of memory, drawing parallels with the precision of real-life eyewitness testimony. Even Sigmund Freud showed an interest in legal psychology, publishing in 1906 a paper titled ‘Psychoanalysis and the ascertaining of truth in courts of law’.
But there is little doubt that the most influential figure of the time was the American-based German psychologist Hugo Munsterberg (1863–1916). A doctoral student of Willhelm Wundt in Leipzig, Munsterberg met William James at Harvard in 1889, eventually taking a post there in 1897. While writing on many areas of psychology, often in a controversial manner, Munsterberg’s major contribution to the fledgling discipline of forensic psychology is to be found in his book, published in 1908, «On the Witness Stand». He advanced the view that psychology could usefully be applied to enhance understanding of courtroom issues and procedures. In particular, Munsterberg drew attention to the psychologist’s understanding of perception and memory, claiming that psychological knowledge provided insight into the reliability of witness testimony (thereby making the case for the psychologist as expert witness). At the time, Munsterberg’s claims for the practical benefits of psychology in the courtroom drew fierce attack from the legal profession. But his writings have stood the test of time in anticipating important areas of research, such as the study of the reliability of evidence, as seen in investigations of eyewitness memory and confessional evidence.
Criminal psychology
It is another branch in psychology which studies the wills, feelings, intentions and reactions of criminals. It is also related to the field of criminal anthropology. The criminal psychology study goes intensely keen on what makes someone to commit crime, and also the reactions after the crime, on the run or in the court.
Criminal psychologists know how to engage in a number of activities related to criminal investigations, ranging from creating profiles of offenders or victims based on existing information unto conducting psychological testing of people on experiment for various crimes.
The Criminal psychology must not be baffled with criminal psychiatry; as both deals with mental health issues. The criminal psychiatry is deeply focused on the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders, as it can include a range of therapies, while the criminal psychologists learn about the human behavior and the motivations behind it, as it can include mental illness and the ways in which it can be treated.
The psychological professionals make use of a wide range of clues to get an insight into the nature of the crime and about the person who has committed the crime. In the same way, a criminal psychologist might look at the victims chosen by the criminal and draw conclusions about the criminal and in future targets from their profiles.
A specialist in criminal psychology may perhaps be asked to watch or take part in the questioning of a person who is of interest in a crime, or to work together with the injured party to gather information. Some of the criminal psychologists center on functioning with children who commit crimes or who are the victims of crime. They generally have degrees in child psychology and have pursued additional training in criminology and forensic psychology. The criminal psychologists may help the children as patients in a medical practice, give evidence about child criminals in court, or recommend support to criminal investigations involving children. Criminal psychologists are frequently called up as witnesses in court cases to help the board of judges to know the mind of the criminal.
Task 1. Answer the questions:
What is criminal psychology?
What is criminal psychiatry?
What are the tasks of a specialist working in criminal psychology?
Task 2. Check your active vocabulary:
преступник, совершать преступление, быть в бегах, суд, заниматься деятельностью, расследование, правонарушитель, жертва, проводить тестирование, душевное здоровье, лечение, делать выводы, потерпевший, собирать информацию, свидетель, дело.
Task 3. Make up your own sentences using these words and word combinations.
Forensic psychology
Forensic psychology is the application of psychology concerning the sphere of law. When psychology is associated with any topic even remotely related to crime, such as the development of antisocial behaviour, the study of different types of offender, and crime prevention. In considering the topic of forensic psychology in the broad sense it is helpful to distinguish legal psychology - the application of psychology to matters of concern in court of law and criminological psychology - the application of psychological knowledge and methods to the study of crime and criminal behaviour.