Critical Issues in Forensic Psychology: False Confessions

The topic of false confessions is another very important issue within a legal context where psychological knowledge and expertise can be brought be bear. Psychological vulnerabilites and interrogative circumstances are two of the key areas that have been examined by psychologists in relation to false confessions.

The reason that the study of false confessions is such an important topic within forensic psychology is that research into the reliability of testimony and suggestibility is as old as the discipline itself.



Hugo Munsterberg

In 1908 Hugo Munsterberg published 'On The Witness Stand: Essays on Psychology And Crime'. One of these essays was entitled 'Untrue Confessions'. The writing of Hugo Munsterberg was not only groundbreaking but also very perceptive. In the first sentence of his essay on false confessions he stated that:

I am most seriously convinced that it is a tragedy not only of crime but also of human error and miscarried justice, and my scientific conscience as a psychologist compels me to speak of it because the tragedy of yesterday may come up again, in some other form, tomorrow



John Mark Karr

Munsterberg's contention that false confessions were a normal phenomena triggered by unusual circumstances was most recently brought to light in the circumstances surrounding the John Mark Karr case. In relation to the unsolved murder of six-year-old JonBenét Ramsey, John Mark Karr claimed that he was present when Ramsey died and that her death was an accident. Authorities were made aware of Karr via the e-mail correspondence he had with Michael Tracey, a journalism professor at the University of Colorado. Karr was arrested in Bangkok returned to the USA for questioning. Shortly after, prosecutors announced they would not be pursuing charges in connection with the murder after DNA tests failed to place Karr at the scene.

Theoretical explanations for the psychology of false confessions

The work of Kassin and Wrightsman in the USA and Gudjonsson in the UK has done a great deal to further our understanding of the psychology of false confessions. To find out more about this work, along with links to a number of excellent resources on the subject of false confessions visit the main forensic psychology website.

Click Here To See The False Confessions Webpage

PSY.D. in Clinical Psychology (Forensic Psychology Concentration). Miami USA

Program Mission

The mission of the Psy.D. program in Clinical Psychology at the Carlos Albizu University, Miami Campus is to train culturally competent clinical psychologists at the doctoral level of professional competence with special emphasis on the training of minorities, particularly Hispanics.

Philosophy of Training

The philosophy of training for the Psy.D. Program is based upon the value that the needs of a multicultural society are best served by a psychology profession that is both culturally competent and inclusive. In accordance with this value, the Program seeks to provide students with a rich exposure to culturally and individually diverse populations through its academic training and applied experiences. It also seeks to train students that have been underrepresented in the field.

Training Model

The Psy.D. Program follows the practitioner-scholar model, as defined by the Vail Conference and further articulated in the Mission Bay Resolutions. The Psy.D. Program is designed to prepare students as clinical psychologists to provide comprehensive psychotherapeutic and psychodiagnostic services, to assume administrative and supervisory positions in mental health programs, and to provide professional psychological consultation. The Program trains students in the theories and concepts of cultural and individual diversity and in their application to the practice of professional psychology. It also trains students to be consumers of research and base their work on the foundation of scientific evidence and scholarly works.

Training Goals

Prepare students to become clinical psychologists who provide comprehensive psychodiagnostic and psychotherapeutic services in an ethical and competent manner.Educate students in theories and concepts of cultural diversity and individual differences, and their application to the practice of professional psychology.Prepare students to function as clinical supervisors, program administrators, and/or consultants.Educate students to practice clinical psychology as informed by the theories, methods, and findings of scientific research and scholarly works.

Program Objectives

Upon successful completion of academic courses and clinical practica, students will be able to:

Demonstrate comprehensive clinical assessment skills.

Demonstrate comprehensive skills in clinical intervention.

Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of and ability to apply ethical principles to clinical practice.

Identify and understand issues related to cultural diversity and individual differences as they affect clinical competencies.

Demonstrate the ability as clinical psychologists to serve as clinical supervisors, administrators, and consultants in diverse settings.

Demonstrate the skills to be discerning consumers of scholarly works and research, including studies of empirically based treatment methodology.

Forensic Psychology Concentration Study Areas



The Forensic Psychology Concentration is designed to train students to deliver psychological services (psychodiagnostic assessment, case law, legal standards, and expert testimony) within the judicial and correctional systems. The course content for the Forensic Psychology Concentration is as follows:

Behavioral Science and the Law

Forensic Psychology I (Criminal Law)

Forensic Psychology II (Family and Juvenile Law)

Police and Correctional Psychology

Forensic Assessment

Other Information



Contact Information

All applications and enquires are dealt with by the University’s Admissions Office. For contact information, online application form and other important information please visit the admissions webpage.

Click Here To Visit the Admissions Webpage

Click Here To Visit the University's Psychology Homepage

About Miami



Click Here To Visit The Miami City Guide Website

Click Here To See The Miami Wikipedia Page

Are You Doing This Degree Program?



If so, why not tell people what you think by clicking on the comments link below.

The best way to save this forensic psychology degree program for future reference is to click on the social bookmark this link below.

Forensic Psychology Degree Directories



Click Here To Review Forensic Psychology Degrees Across The USA



Click Here To Review Forensic Psychology Degrees Across The UK

Forensic Psychology Courses: The University of Birmingham (UK)

The following forensic psychology courses are offered in the Centre for Forensic and Family Psychology, School of Psychology.

Master of Science in Criminological Psychology:

This modularised forensic psychology related degree course is designed for graduate psychologists who work with offenders or their victims to develop skills such as assessment, management and treatment. The Course is taught one day a week at the University, beginning late September each year and consisting of lecturers/seminars from invited speakers, practice assessment, case studies and research. The Masters Course is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) to be equivalent to stage one of training as a Chartered Forensic Psychologist. Applicants must hold at least a second class honours psychology degree (which confers Graduate Basis for Registration with the BPS) and be working in a forensic setting. Applications by end of March each year.

Master of Science in Clinical Criminology:

This modularised forensic psychology related masters degree is designed to help multidisciplinary professionals (non psychologists), develop skills such as assessment, management, intervention and treatment of offenders who commit serious crimes of a violent and/or sexual nature. The Course is taught one day a week at the University, beginning late September each year and consisting of lecturers/seminars from invited speakers, practice assessment, case studies and research. Applicants must hold a relevant degree (at least second class honours) and be working with victims or offenders. Applications by end of March each year.

Masters in Forensic Psychology Practice (2 years full time):

Doctorate in Forensic Psychology Practice (3 years full time):

These two programmes aim to provide the necessary knowledge and skills to work as a forensic psychologist; to analyse offending behaviour and its effect on victims, to manage, assess and plan treatment strategies for both victims and offenders and to work as an expert providing professional reports and training. Each week half of the time will be spent at the University in academic learning and the other half in a forensic practice placement. Students will have the chance to work with offender groups (adults, young people, individuals with learning disability) both in community and institutional environments. An evidence based approach is emphasised with the objective of developing skills in research and evaluation. Therefore, professional case studies, research studies and forensic practice reports are carried out.

The two year Masters Course is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) to be equivalent to stage one of training as a Chartered Forensic Psychologist. At the end of the Masters, students may choose to complete a third year full time on forensic research and psychometric methods leading to a Doctorate (Foren.Psy.D.). The practice component of the Doctorate can contribute to stage two of training as a Chartered Forensic Psychologist. The entrance requirement is at least a second class honours degree in psychology which confers Graduate Basis for Registration with the BPS. Deadline for applications is end of March each year.

Other Information



Contact Information

All applications and enquires are dealt with by the University’s Postgraduate Admissions Office.

Phone: 0121 414 5488

Fax: 0121 414 6378

e-mail: admissions@bham.ac.uk

Visit the Admissions Webpage and Access The Online Application

Click Here To Visit the School of Psychology

About Birmingham



Click Here To Access The Visit Birmingham website

Click Here To See The Birmingham Wikipedia Page

Are You Doing Any of These Degree Courses?



If so, why not tell people what you think by clicking on the comments link below.

Forensic Psychology Degree Directories



Click Here To Review Forensic Psychology Degrees in the USA



Click Here To Review Forensic Psychology Degrees in the UK

The best way to save these forensic psychology degree reviews for future reference is to click on the social bookmark this link below.

Profiling Serial Killers: Limitations of The FBI Approach

The American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law held its annual meeting in Chicago at the end of October. One of the panel discussions during the meeting was entitled 'Serial Killers: From Cradle to Grave' which addressed the perceived limitations of FBI profiles. Among the issues raised were the following:



The notorious BTK murderer Dennis Rader who remained at large for over 30 years did not fit into the FBI's profiling methodology in relation to crime scenes.



Florida prostitute Aileen Wuornos convicted and subsequently executed for the murder of several men was effectively excluded from profiling typologies because the FBI database of convicted serial killers did not include women.

The FBI tends to categorise a crime scene as either organized or disorganized. An organized crime scene is said to highlight the control and careful planing the suspect has displayed in his/her environment when commissioning the crime; thereby pointing to an educated and socially competent individual. In contrast, a disorganized crime scene points to a lack of control and an absense of intelligent decision making. The disorganised suspect does little if anything to cover his/her tracks, pointing to a suspect who is either of low intelligence or a habitual user of drugs and/or alcohol.

On the surface this seems to be a perfectly reasonable classification system but one of the issues under discussion was the fact that crime scenes often have both organized and disorganized aspects. Dr Charles L. Scott who led the panel discussion states that the actions of BTK
murderer Dennis Rader provide a clear example of this. Scott suggests Rader's first crime scene demonstrates this ambiguity as there was clear evidence of advance planning and his domination of the environment but there were several disorganized elements as well e.g. leaving behind the Venetian blind cords he used as a strangling device.

Scott also points to the problems associated with the fact that in developing profiles of serial killers, the FBI draws on data and findings elicited from interviews with just 36 convicted serial murderers, all of whom were male and 90% of them white; which raises the question of relevance in relation to female or non-caucasian serial killers.

According to Dr Scott “The FBI profiling method has many positive attributes. But it also has some inherent limitations”, and that the purpose of the panel discussion was not to critique the FBI, but acquaint forensic psychiatrists with how the FBI profiles serial killers.

Have Your Say



So what do think of FBI profiling, art or science? Help or hindrance? Why not post your views over at the All About Forensic Psychology Forum?

Visit The Forensic Psychology Forum



If you would like to find out more about criminal profiling, don't forget that there are several pages dedicated to the subject on the main forensic psychology website.

Click Here To Visit The Forensic Psychology Website

Masters Degree Review: University of Liverpool (UK)

Master of Science in Investigative Psychology:

The overall aims of the MSc in Investigative psychology course are to enable students to acquire the knowledge, skills and experience that will enable them to develop professional roles as investigative psychologists in law enforcement and similar agencies; and contribute to the growth of the discipline of investigative psychology through research, teaching and similar scholarly pursuits.

To achieve these aims the course provides the opportunity to gain relevant knowledge by providing the opportunity for students to gain a sound conceptual basis for the understanding of:

The available explanations of criminal behaviour.
The varieties of criminal activities and approaches to their classification, including:

arson

burglary

fraud

homicide, single and serial

threat and extortion

rape

robbery

stalking

criminal violence

organised crime and drug networks

Approaches to the treatment and assessment of criminals.
Psychological processes in investigative decision making.
Procedures available for linking crimes to a common offender.
The psychology of interviewing and approaches to training interviewers
Basic, relevant issues in the British legal system.
Professional and ethical issues of relevance to Investigative Psychology.
The history and critiques of 'offender profiling'.
The processes of publication and dissemination of academic material.
The nature and processes of police investigations.
The procedures available for statement validation and detecting deception.
The IT procedures drawn on from Crime Analysis.
Approaches to inferring offender characteristics from crime information.
Processes relevant to understanding police organisations and criminal networks.



Professor David Canter, internationally known for his pioneering work in police investigations, is one of the key lecturers on the course and its Director. Dr Ian Donald convenes the methodology course, and Dr Graham Wagstaff the Investigative Actions theme. Other lecturers are drawn from the staff of the Psychology Department and other associated departments at Liverpool University, including the Faculty of Law and Department of Clinical Psychology. Visiting lecturers from British and Overseas police forces and universities also contribute. A team of Post-Doctoral Fellows who are members of the Centre for Investigative Psychology, in which the course is based, also provide guidance and support.

Other Information



Contact Information

Further details about the course can be obtained from:

Director of Postgraduate Studies
Centre for Investigative Psychology
The University of Liverpool
Eleanor Rathbone Building
Bedford Street South
Liverpool L69 7ZA

Telephone: (0151) 794 3910

e-mail: enquiries@i-psy.com

Click Here To Visit The Centre For Investigative Psychology

About Liverpool



Click Here To See The Visit Liverpool Website

Click Here To See The Liverpool Wikipedia Page

Are You Doing This Degree Course?



If so, why not tell people what you think by clicking on the comments link below.

The best way to save this Masters degree review for future reference is to click on the social bookmark this link below.