PY2110:03
Forensic Psychology
Townsville, Cairns
26 lectures, 24 tutorials. Second semester.
Staff: Ms V Garde (Townsville campus); Ms S O’Brien (Cairns campus).
Forensic psychology explores emotional and behavioural issues that relate to the law and legal systems. Psychological knowledge is applied to the understanding of crime and criminal justice. This subject examines the role a forensic psychologist plays in the provision of advice to personnel within the justice system; the diagnosis and treatment of incarcerated and probationed offenders and techniques used to screen and evaluate personnel in the law enforcement and judicial systems. Germane topics in abnormal psychology, clinical psychology, personality and developmental psychology, psychometric testing and social psychology are dealt with insofar as they inform the tasks of psychologists in forensic settings.
Learning Objectives:
- provide a working knowledge of the broad areas that forensic psychology encompasses;
- provide a basic knowledge of the tools and techniques used by the forensic psychologist whilst working within the various areas of the sub-discipline;
- illustrate the links between forensic psychology and other areas of psychology, such as abnormal psychology and social psychology;
- assist the student to develop anawareness of the ethical issues that arise when working within the sub-discipline of forensic psychology.
Assessment by an essay (25%); mid-semester quiz (25%); end-of-semester examination (50%).