Forensic Psychology Services offered by Chartered Psychologists
5.1 The assessment of offenders
Concentrates upon issues of offending behaviour and
explanations for its commission. Offences might include
violent and sexual crime, arson, theft, terrorism, vandalism,
and drug misuse. Offenders might include those with
mental health problems or learning difficulties, juvenile
and adult offenders.
5.2 The management of offenders prior to custody
The focus here is on advocacy, alternatives to custody, the detection of
crime, eye witness testimony, expert witness skills, informed consent, inquiry,
lie detection, offender profiling, remand, witness reliability, suggestibility
and compliance, false confession and rights.
5.3 The management of offenders following conviction for an offence
Forensic psychologists are concerned with the rehabilitation of offenders,
including sentence planning, risk assessment and management, ethical issues
and effective interventions (including the design, development, delivery
and evaluation of group work programmes and one to one intervention) Systemic
interventions and the association between mental disorder and offending.
Forensic psychologists are also concerned with the wider issues of offender
management, including development of policy and acting as consultants within
criminal justice settings to inform and advise and by providing representation
at quasi-court. Within secure forensic health settings they are also involved
in care planning and representation at Mental Health Review Tribunals.
5.4 The victims of crime
Forensic psychologists are concerned with compensation, including disaster
and head injury compensation, malpractice, prevention of crime and post traumatic
stress. They are also concerned with working directly with the victims of
crime as well as with the agencies that support victims.
5.5 Family/domestic issues and children
Forensic psychologists are concerned with child abuse, child offenders (including
child sex offenders), children and the law, child witnesses, divorce conciliation,
family law, juvenile justice, moral development, domestic violence and expert
testimony in family court cases.
5.6 Policy issues
Forensic psychologists contribute to policy issues in a wide range of areas around the criminal justice arena including : alternatives to custody, Court of Protection, criminal justice, criminal responsibility/ diminished responsibility, hostage taking, Mental Health Act, mentally disordered offenders, Parole Board, Lifer Management, Police and Magistrates and the Victims Charter.
Forensic psychologists are involved in the training of others in a wide range of areas around criminal justice. This may include, hostage taking, management of offenders, effective regimes, working with those who self- harm, stress management and delivery of effective interventions, risk assessment and management of violent and sexual offenders, and the provision of therapy consistent with the ‘What Works’ criteria for effective offending behaviour programmes.