Forensic Psychology : SPPU MA syllabus

DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY
S. P. PUNE UNIVERSITY
SEMESTER-II
EP: 210: FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY
(Major Elective)

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

To acquaint the students with:
1. To aquatint the concepts and nature of forensic psychology.
2. To evaluate theories and types of criminal behavior.
3. To understand the various profiling and detecting techniques of investigation.
4. To assess the treatment and rehabilitation of offenders.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Students will be able to:
1. To Apply the theoretical knowledge in practical situation.
2. To development the understanding and measurement techniques for identifications of criminals.
3. To develop the skills in psychological profiling, and detection of forensic investigation.
4. To expand the skills in the areas of screening, assessment, interventions and rehabilitation for correctional purpose.

1.0. INTRODUCTION TO FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY 

1.1. Nature and definition, History, Fields in Forensic Psychology.
1.2. Theories of Criminal Behavior: Developmental, Evolutionary, Facet-Meta, Socio psychological.
1.1. Role of Forensic Psychologist: Clinical role, Experimental role, Actuarial role, Advisory role.
1.4. Consultation and Research Practices in Forensic Psychology.
1.5. Careers in Forensic Psychology

2.0. UNDERSTANDING OF DELINQUENT AND CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR 

2.1. The Juvenile offenders: Definition and Nature of Delinquent behavior.
2.2. The Developmental Perspectives of criminals: The Moffitt Developmental Theory of Delinquency.
2.3. Developmental and Cognitive Factors of Persistent Criminal Behavior: ADHD, Conduct Disorders, Intelligence, Language Development, Self-Regulation Skills, and Executive Functioning.
2.4. The Criminal Psychopath: Behavioural characteristics, antisocial personality disorder, and offending patterns of criminal psychopaths.
2.5. Psychological Measures of Psychopathy. Treatment and Rehabilitation of Psychopaths.

3.0. PSYCHOLOGY OF INVESTIGATIONS 

3.1. Meaning and types of profiling techniques: Crime Scene Profiling, Geographical Profiling and Crime Mapping, Suspect-Based Profiling.
3.2. Psychological Profiling, the Psychological Autopsy: Problems and Limitations of profiling.
3.3. Basic processes of Deceptions: Emotional, Behavioral, and Cognitive.
3.4. Techniques of Detecting Deception: Polygraph test; Forensic Hypnosis; Eyewitness Testimony; and DNA-Based Exonerations.
3.5. The Assessment of Risk: Risk Assessment Instruments.

4.0. CORRECTIONAL PSYCHOLOGY AND INTERVENTIONS 

4.1. Meaning and types of corrections, roles of correctional psychologist. Psychological assessment in corrections: Inmate screening and classification, crises interventions.
4.2. Treatment and Rehabilitation in correctional facilities. Psychological models in corrections: Behavioral, Cognitive-Behavioral therapeutic interventions.
4.3. Treatment of Special Populations: Substance-Abusing offenders, violent offenders, criminal psychopaths, sex offenders, women prisoners.
4.4. Forensic victimology: Meaning and history of victimology.
4.5. Stalking, cyberstalking, theories of cyberstalking, cyberstalking process (OVIAR Model), Interventions of cyberstalking.

BOOKS FOR READINGS:

1. Bartol, C. R. & Bartol, A. M. (2015). Introduction to Forensic Psychology: Research and Application, 4th (Eds.), Sage Publication.

2. Needs, A., & Towl, G. (2004). Applying Psychology to Forensic Practice. Blackwell Publishing.

3. Killam, E. W. (2004). The Detection of Human Remains (2nd Edition). Charle Thomas Publication Pvt. Ltd.

4. Brown, J. M., & Campbell, E. A. (2010). The Cambridge Handbook of Forensic Psychology. Cambridge University Press.

5. Thou, T. (2011). Forensic Psychology. ABD Publisher: Delhi & Jaipur (India)

6. Weiner, I. B., & Otto, R. K. (2013). The Handbook of Forensic Psychology (4th Edition). Wiley.

7. Bartol, C.R., & Bartol, A. M. (2015). Current Perspectives in Forensic Psychology and Criminal Behavior (3rd Editions). Sage Publication.

8. DeMatteo, D., Fairfax-Columbo, J., & Desai, A. (2019). Becoming A Forensic Psychologist. Routledge.

9. Davis, T. (2021). Forensic Psychology: Fact and Fiction. Red Globe Press.

10. Walker, L. E., Shaprio, D., & Akl, S. (2022). Introduction to Forensic Psychology: Clinical and Social Psychological Perspective (2nd Edition). Springer.

11. Garafalo C., & Sijtsema, J. J. (2022). Clinical Forensic Psychology: Introductory Perspective on Offendic. Springer Nature: Switzerland.

12. APA Handbook of Forensic Psychology, Volum-1-2-3.