forensic dna analysis

psychology and forensic science

Introduction:

psychology and forensic science both are the interface between sciences and the laws of a nation.

forensic psychology is an appliance of psychological principles and knowledge to numerous legal activities ranging from crime against children, like abuse, child custody disputes, to assessing the mental and integrity of a person’s own capacity to manage his/her affairs, his/her ability and competency to stand the trial and to advise judges in a court of law, in matters regarding sentencing etc. 

Definitions of psychology and forensic science:

The word Forensic comes from the word 'Forensis' which means of or before Forum, the forum is a place where trials were conducted in Roman times.

Within the current day context, Forensic refers to the connection between the legal system on the one hand and thus on another hand, it is a professional field, like psychiatry, medicine, pathology, chemistry, anthropology, psychology, etc.

In 1991 there is a committee on Ethical Guidelines for forensic psychologist which defined forensic psychology as a field that covers “all kinds of professional conduct when acting, with definable fore-knowledge, as a psychological expert on explicitly psychological issues indirect assistance to the courts, parties to legal proceedings, correctional and forensic condition facilities, and administrative, judicial, and legislative agencies acting during a judicial capacity”.

 The narrow definition of forensic psychology is that the professional practice by psychologists within the field of psychiatry, counselling psychology, neuropsychology, and common psychology after they're engaged regularly as experts and represent themselves in and of itself is an expert, who is primarily designated to produce professional psychological expertise to the judicial system. 

According to the broad definition, forensic psychology is the development and application of psychological principles to the problems and administration of legal, judicial, correctional, and enforcement systems, clearly rooted within the discipline of psychology and its sub-fields, but these fields are also interdisciplinary in nature that drawing on diverse disciplines just like the law, sociology, government, anthropology, philosophy, medicine, and linguistics. 

forensic psychology involves a relationship with central, state and native forensic laboratories and the enforcement agencies or also with the criminal lawyers and thus the court; corrections and treatment facilities. 

Some of the precise areas, a forensic psychologist works include:

1. Divorce and child custody mediation. 

2. Determination of criminal responsibility (Insanity) and competency to face trial. 

3. Jury selection and case strategy. 

4. Expert opinion/testimony on the question of a psychological nature. 

5. Assessing receptiveness and response to treatment. 

6. Psychological testing and evaluation. 

7. Assessment of dangerousness. (e.g. Sexual predator laws) 

8. Selection and placement of cops, security and military personnel. 

9. Explaining the effect of psychological condition and illness. 

10. Conducting critical incident debriefing, advising on Critical Incident Stress Management, and fitness for duty evaluations. 

11. Consulting with managers to develop workplace safety and violence de-briefing procedures and giving psychological advice for the changes.

12. Designing and conducting treatment programs for offenders and for the people who are under custody. 

13. Conducting research on treatment effectiveness. 

14. Preparing profiles of various styles of offenders e.g. sexual offenders, arsonists, etc. 

15. Teach course or provide professional knowledge for development in workshops on Forensic topics. 

Forensic Psychology while established within the discipline of psychology is finally interdisciplinary in nature. 

That brings on diverse disciplines like law, sociology, politics, anthropology, philosophy, medicine, and linguistics. 

Forensic Psychology includes all services of psychology nature as applied to the enforcement system and legal requirements according to law.

However, there are certain services like treating an offender on the instruction of the court that can be in asylum or according to the instructions provided and getting him back to normal so he could depose before the court, which is entirely a part of clinical forensic. 

On the alternative hand when the forensic psychologist also provides a report back to the court and provides information about the character and extent of severity of the trauma (as within the case of head injury caused by an accident, etc.) of the culprits or victims. These services are termed forensic service.

Importance of psychology and forensic science:

Because of its uniqueness, forensic psychology practice perhaps receives more inspection than the opposite area of psychology. 

The opinions given by the forensic psychologists within the court, their reports and testimony are hospitable for both criticism and formal cross-examination. 

The report supported forensic assessments which have the influence to choose the sentence that is to be pronounced regarding an accused. 

Forensic psychologists are expected to possess an intensive understanding of medical or psychological acts and case law, additionally to their specialized knowledge in psychiatry and their other disciplines. 

The combination of the subject gives them the unique expertise to use all the relevant instrument needed in forensic psychology within the investigation of the cases. 

Forensic psychologists need also to grab the thanks to present within the court of law, the evidence they have gathered regarding the case at hand. 

They should even be trained in psychometric tests, capable of administering the relevant tests, scoring the tests, and interpreting them appropriately. 

Over the years because of many developments and innovation within the sphere in terms of institutions, researches and instrumentation etc. forensic psychologists have come to play many roles in relevant criminal cases for a better trial in court. 

For instance, a forensic psychologist also provides counselling and psychological therapy services to individuals attached to the judicature, take-up counselling for juveniles and adults on probation, handle individuals who violate confining orders, address victims of crimes and person awaiting for trial, examine the cases of sexual offenders and use anger management skills training for violent offenders and take-up tests for making them normal for society. 

As the significant role of forensic psychologists in civil cases, they're also expected to examine and analyze someone who has suffered an emotional injury from an accident or from witnessing a traumatic event. 

In some cases, criminal psychologists could even be required to point out specific treatment needs and also the acceptable treatment for the person’s condition and approve and disapprove the treatment required.

The psychologists in some civil cases also provide psychotherapy and counselling to the one who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, adjustment problem, marital discord, and other psychological condition etc. 

criminal psychologists are historically used both in criminal and civil cases for their psychological expertise to the judiciary during a court of law.

When an argument dropped at the court by an individual has both psychological and legal components, these should necessarily involve psychologists and legal experts for transparency in the judiciary.