Medical Forensics

Identically another article named “How to Become a Forensic PSychologist,” it’s quoted, “Most jobs in the forensic psychology field require a Master’s degree… Those interested in achieving a position of seniority should pursue a PhD or PsyD,” (“How to Become a Forensic Psychologist” 2). All of these experts are saying the same thing, a doctorate degree will get the best job offers and will knock out any competition with only a Master’s degree. This line of work is though, and a willingness to spend a few extra years to expand any previous knowledge is looked upon favorably by employers.

In order to effectively work in this area, Forensic psychologists must know the court’s expectations.They must be credible, competent, and concise being able to explain to the court how they arrived at their

Many of the psychological profiling replies on inferences and intuition, but geographic profiling replies on maps and mathematics. This technique of profiling focuses on the crime scene and the location of the crimes or the type of location of the crime and the location of where bodies were found or dumped. Profilers use the patterns of criminal’s movement and environment. After all of the mapping points are narrowed down, geographic profiling is used to figure out where the criminal’s home or workplace is. This has been used for cases like the Railway Killer who killed near railway tracks. They examined anchor points which are where the criminal launches his attacks and buffer points which are where the criminal is least likely to commit the act. Also examined are distance decay which means that the probability of the attack decreases as distance from past crime locations

Psychological profiling is defined as a process of linking an offender’s actions at the crime scene to their most likely characteristics to help police investigators narrow down and prioritize a pool of most likely suspects (Psychological Profiling, n.d.). The psychological profiling of offenders has three goals; to provide the criminal justice system with a social and psychological assessment of the offender, to provide the criminal justice system with a psychological evaluation of belongings found in the possession of the offender, and to provide interviewing suggestions and strategies (Holmes & Holmes, 2009). Profiling of suspects can be tracked as far back to the 1880’s. However, it wasn’t until the twentieth century that forensic psychology

Forensic psychology deals with expert testimony which plays a crucial role in the insanity defense of a case, which is one of the most difficult and controversial issues faced by the courts and forensic

Generally, there is often an absence of strong empirical evidence to support criminal profiling. In a study by Eastwood et al. (2006), existing research on the validity of criminal profiling was analyzed, to determine whether this technique can be counted on to aid in criminal investigations. One of the studies that was noted in the review was by Pinizzotto and Finkel (1990), and involved asking different groups of people, including actual profilers, university students, police detectives and clinical psychologists, to create a profile based on details about a particular crime. The results showed that the trained criminal profilers did not do any better than the other groups in creating an accurate profile which could predict who the culprit was. Similar results were acquired in another study, which evaluated police officers, psychologists, students, psychics and profilers on their ability to create a "predictive profile." Again, results also proved that profilers were not significantly better at creating a profile than any of the other groups (Kocsis et al., 2000). From these results, Eastwood et

Offender profiling developed from both a practical, clinical approach and a statistical aspect in the 1980’s, which, in the beginning was poorly developed and based on weak evidence. However since then it has become the mainstream in Forensic Psychology because of its graduation towards methods that are scientifically justified and elimination of ineffective procedures. Offender profiling procedure involves ‘observation, reflection and construction using available data to predict the likely characteristics of an offender’(Crighton & Towl, 2015). The two assumptions central to offender profiling is that the behaviour is consistent across crimes committed and that the crime scene behaviour is similar to the offender characteristics.

Criminal profiling is one of few first things to think of when it comes to forensic psychology. Criminal profiling is featured in popular television shows such as in Law and Order and CSI. Often in those shows, the police officers were able to catch the criminals based on the criminal profile that forensic psychologists came up with. In a theory, the polices rely on criminal profiling to catch criminals, educate the public about a possible criminal, and confirm the witnesses’ accounts. Criminal profiling involves using various methods to guess a criminal’s background, behavior, and even preferences for the victims.

Law enforcement uses a number of different methods and tools to help solve crimes. One process that has gained great attention in modern times is called criminal profiling. Profiling is the recording and analysis of a person's psychological and behavioral characteristics, so as to assess or predict their capabilities in a certain sphere or to assist in identifying a particular subgroup of people. Police in New York and elsewhere continued to consult psychologists and psychiatrists to develop profiles of particularly difficult-to-catch offenders. Psychologist is an expert or specialist in psychology.

Radiology, a medical specialty that uses imaging to diagnose or treat disease within the body, tends to play a significant role in Forensic Medicine and is often used to assist in medicolegal matters.1 Radiologic examinations are performed in order to obtain information needed to aid in a criminal or civil investigation. When diagnostic imaging is used in a court of law, it is known as forensic radiography.2 Forensic radiography was first used in 1896 in Montreal, Canada. “A man named Tolson Cunning was shot and radiography was used to locate the bullet and ultimately help convict George Holder for attempted murder”.2 Since this time, radiological techniques have developed tremendously becoming more elaborate. Conventional radiography was the

3.) It has been estimated that up to 40 percent of the science shown on CSI does not exist (Klein, 2004). CSI makes it seem as though forensic tests are invariably accurate and never spoiled by pollution, mistakes in laboratories, or prejudiced explanations; problems that impair actual forensic science (Risinger et al., 2002) Furthermore, Professor Houck states that CSI “incorrectly depicts forensic science as this juggernaut of infallibility” (Leonard, 2005). In essence, what he is saying in his complaint is that crime shows are misleading jurors and "tainting jurors" with impractical standards for forensic science. By witnessing court cases constructed on forensic evidence on T.V. , jurors may assume that court cases are constructed the

Forensic psychology is so interesting to me it collects all forensic evidence, examines and evaluates for the purpose of all investigations. They question witnesses and gather all their testimonies. The need to increase, though, accuracy also efficiency, psychology has played a big role in achieving the increase. Psychologist can become bias this can cause a big stir and a case can pend for some time which can become detrimental. In these circumstances

The psychologist contributes to investigations criminal behavior by profiling and similar techniques. The criminal psychologist can also assist with pretrial methods. This subsection is highly important because it includes the evaluation and treatment of suspects, victims, or witnesses of a crime. The primary task of the forensic psychologist profiling. Psychological profiling involves “investigating an offender's behavior, motives and background in an attempt to further guide an investigation…,” (APA). There are several different areas of profiling that the professionals do in the field. In criminal profiling the psychologist analyzes the emotional, mental disposition of a suspect. While remaining as a slightly controversial technique, profiling has become an increasingly prominent part of criminal investigation. When used properly it has the capacity of being one of law enforcement’s most powerful tools.

A Forensic Psychologist focuses on “why people do bad things, why they commit crimes, lie to police officers, and treat their children abusively” (AllPsychologyCareers). There is this fascination with criminals and the psychopathy behind their actions and thoughts. According to All Psychology Careers, this field of study focuses on all types of research in psychology including clinical, developmental, social, clinical, behavioral and neuropsychological to blend together ideas and studies to apply to criminal action. The major focus of forensic psychologist is criminology and law because there needs to be a broad understanding of how the judicial system works and what statutes apply in what states. This type of work can be applied in many different settings such as prisons, correctional facilities, court systems, government agencies, parole boards and research.

Historically, crime and criminals have always caught the attention of law-abiding citizens. Whenever there is mention of serial killers or unsolved murders or abductions, psychological profiling, floats to the top of the list of concerns (Egger, 1999). Psychological profiling is an attempt to provide investigators with more information about an offender who has not yet been identified (Egger, 1999). Its purpose is to develop a behavioral composite that combines both sociological and psychological assessment of the would-be offender. The type of person who could have committed the crime can often be identified on the premise that accurate analysis and interpretation of the crime scene can point to a