Table Of ContentForensic Psychology
BPS Textbooks in Psychology
BPS Wiley presents a comprehensive and authoritative series covering everything
a student needs in order to complete an undergraduate degree in psychology.
Refreshingly written to consider more than North American research, this series
is the first to give a truly international perspective. Written by the very best names
in the field, the series offers an extensive range of titles from introductory level
through to final year optional modules, and every text fully complies with the BPS
syllabus in the topic. No other series bears the BPS seal of approval!
Many of the books are supported by a companion website, featuring additional
resource materials for both instructors and students, designed to encourage critical
thinking, and providing for all your course lecturing and testing needs.
For other titles in this series, please go to http://psychsource.bps.org.uk.
v
Forensic Psychology
Second Edition
EdiTEd By
david a. CrighTon
graham J. Towl
This second edition first published 2015 by the British Psychological Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
© 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Edition history: Blackwell Publishing Ltd. (1e, 2010)
Registered Office
John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., The Atrium, Southern Gate, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 8SQ, UK
Editorial Offices
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148‐5020, USA
9600 Garsington Road, Oxford, OX4 2DQ, UK
The Atrium, Southern Gate, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 8SQ, UK
For details of our global editorial offices, for customer services, and for information about how to apply
for permission to reuse the copyright material in this book please see our website at
www.wiley.com/wiley‐blackwell.
The right of David A. Crighton and Graham J. Towl to be identified as the authors of the editorial material in
this work has been asserted in accordance with the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise,
except as permitted by the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, without the prior permission of the
publisher.
Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not
be available in electronic books.
Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as trademarks. All brand
names and product names used in this book are trade names, service marks, trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective owners. The publisher is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned
in this book.
Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and authors have used their best efforts
in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or
completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability
or fitness for a particular purpose. It is sold on the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in
rendering professional services and neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages
arising herefrom. If professional advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent
professional should be sought.
Library of Congress Cataloging‐in‐Publication Data
Forensic psychology (Towl)
Forensic psychology / edited by David A. Crighton and Graham J. Towl. – 2nd edition.
p. ; cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-118-75778-9 (pbk.)
I. Crighton, David A., 1964– , editor. II. Towl, Graham J., editor. III. British Psychological Society,
issuing body. IV. Title.
[DNLM: 1. Forensic Psychiatry–methods–Great Britain. 2. Crime–psychology–Great
Britain. 3. Criminals–psychology–Great Britain. W 740]
RA1148
614′.15–dc23
2014048411
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Cover image: Statue of Lady Justice with retro effect © Rob Wilson / Shutterstock
Set in 11/12.5pt Dante by SPi Publisher Services, Pondicherry, India
1 2015
The British Psychological Society’s free Research Digest e‐mail service rounds up the latest research and
relates it to your syllabus in a user‐friendly way. To subscribe go to www.researchdigest.org.uk or send a
blank e‐mail to subscribe‐[email protected].
Contents
List of Contributors xix
1 Introduction 1
Graham J. Towl and David A. Crighton
Justice 2
Expert Controversies 3
Thinking about Human Rights and Ethics 4
Developmental Perspectives 5
Investigation and Prosecution Issues 8
Psychological Assessment 8
Critical Psychology 9
Substance Use 11
Early Intervention 11
Justice Restored 12
References 12
PART I InvesTIgATIve PRACTICe 15
2 The Justice System in England and Wales: A Case Study 17
David Faulkner
What Justice Means 17
The Criminal Justice System 17
What is a Crime? 18
Measurement of Crime 19
The Criminal Justice Process 19
The Sentencing Framework 21
The Criminal Courts 22
Magistrates’ courts 22
Youth courts 22
The Crown Court 22
The High Court 22
The Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) 23
The Supreme Court 23
Police and Policing 23
The Crown Prosecution Service 24
Prisons and the Prison Service 24
Probation 25
Youth Justice 25
Home Office 26
Ministry of Justice 26
Law Officers 27
Other National Bodies 27
vi Contents
Some Special Subjects 27
Victims of crime 27
Restorative justice 28
Race and racism 28
Conclusions 29
Notes 29
Further Reading 30
References 30
3 Offender Profiling 33
David A. Crighton
Introduction 33
Historical Development 33
Approaches to Offender Profiling 35
Diagnostic evaluation 35
Criminal investigation analysis 35
Crime action profiling 35
Investigative psychology 35
Recent Developments 36
Profiling Databases 37
Child Abduction and Serial Murder Investigative Resources Center (CASMIRC) 37
Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (ViCAP) 37
Violent and Sexual Offender Register (ViSOR) 37
The Evidence Base for Profiling 37
Practice Issues 40
Conclusions 41
Notes 42
Further Reading 42
References 42
4 Eyewitness Testimony 45
Lorraine Hope
Eyewitness Identification Performance 45
The Witnessed Event 46
Witness factors 46
Perpetrator factors 47
Situational factors 48
Between the Witnessed Event and Identification Task 49
Retention interval 49
Post‐event misinformation 49
Intermediate Recognition Tasks 50
Mug shots 50
Composite production 50
The identification task 50
Pre‐lineup instructions 51
Lineup composition 51
Investigator bias 51
Lineup procedure: Comparing absolute and relative judgements 52
Post‐identification feedback 52
Is confidence related to accuracy? 53
contents vii
Identifications from CCTV 53
Is eyewitness identification evidence reliable? 55
Procedural Guidelines Relating to Suspect Identification in the United Kingdom 55
The Eyewitness in Court 56
Conclusions 57
Further Reading 57
References 58
5 Jury Decision‐Making 65
Andreas Kapardis
Introduction: The Jury Idea 65
The Notion of an Impartial and Fair Jury: A Critical Appraisal 66
Arguments against jury trials 66
Arguments in favour of jury trials 66
Methods for Studying Juries/Jurors 67
Archival research 67
Questionnaire surveys 67
Mock juries 67
Shadow juries 68
Post‐trial juror interviews 68
Books by ex‐jurors 68
Selecting Jurors 68
Pre‐Trial Publicity 69
The reported importance of juror characteristics 69
Juror Competence 70
Comprehending evidence 70
Understanding and following the judge’s instructions/the jury charge 71
The jury foreperson 71
Jury deliberation 71
Defendant characteristics 72
Victim/plaintiff characteristics 72
Lawyer and judge characteristics 72
Hung Juries 73
Models of Jury Decision‐Making 73
Reforming the Jury to Remedy Some of its Problems 73
Alternatives to Trial by Jury 73
Conclusions 74
Notes 74
Further Reading 75
References 75
6 Assessment 81
David A. Crighton
Conceptual Issues in Assessment 81
Classification 82
Dimensional approaches 83
Diagnosis and formulation 84
Assessment 84
Hypothesis formulation 84
Psychodynamic theory 85
viii Contents
Cognitive behavioural theory (CBT) 86
Systemic theory 86
Social inequalities theory 87
Integrative theories 88
Data Gathering 88
Interviews 88
Psychometric assessments 89
Test theory 90
Data Analysis 90
Reliability 90
Validity 90
Criterion‐related validity 91
Content validity 91
Construct validity 91
Specificity, sensitivity and power 91
Base rates 91
Normality judgements 92
Deficit measurement 92
Single case analysis 92
Clinical Judgements and Biases 92
Conclusions 93
Notes 94
Further Reading 94
References 94
7 Risk Assessment 97
David A. Crighton
Key Legal Issues 97
Key Principles in Risk Assessment 98
Approaches to risk assessment 98
Risk Assessment Instruments 100
Critical Issues in Risk Assessment 103
Acceptable risk and rare catastrophic failures 106
Conclusions 107
Notes 108
Further Reading 108
References 109
PART II WoRkIng WITh offendIng PoPuLATIons 113
8 The Developmental Evidence Base: Neurobiological Research and Forensic Applications 115
Robert A. Schug, Yu Gao, Andrea L. Glenn, Melissa Peskin, Yaling Yang and Adrian Raine
The Developmental Evidence Base: Neurobiological Research 115
Genetics 116
Neuroimaging 116
Neurology 118
Neuropsychology 119
Verbal and spatial intelligence 119
Executive functioning 119
Biological versus social influences 120
