Deck 4: Forensic Psychology, Forensic Psychiatry, and Criminal Profiling

Question 1

If the person evaluated in the forensic context refuses to cooperate, the forensic psychologist or psychiatrist may complete the evaluation based solely on collateral information.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

In forensic work, who is often the client?
a. Court
b. Attorney
c. All of the above
d. None of the above

Answer 2

All of the aboved.

Question 3

Which of the following is true regarding the insanity defense?
a. The defense is rarely used
b. When used, the defense rarely succeeds
c. When it does result in an acquittal, the individual is usually committed to a secure mental health facility
d. All of the above

Answer 3

All of the above

Question 4

Generally speaking, a person needs to be able to understand at the time of the crime) that what he or she was doing was wrong or against the law.

Question 5

Which of the following is a common psycholegal question answered by forensic mental health professionals?
a. Risk for future sexual offense recidivism
b. Competency to stand trial
c. Criminal responsibility/sanity at the time of the offense
d. All of the above

Question 6

Which of the following is true regarding the use of psychics in criminal investigations?
a. Psychics are real
b. Many law enforcement agencies will use a psychic when all else fails
c. Psychics should be used only on a cold case
d. All of the above

Question 7

refers to a defendant's current ability to understand his or her legal predicament for example, charges, possible outcomes) and to assist the attorney with his or her defense.
a. Capacity to stand trial
b. Countertransference
c. Insanity
d. Projection

Question 8

Forensic psychiatrists are licensed to do which of the following?
a. Evaluate patients
b. Diagnose illnesses
c. Prescribe medications
d. All of the above

Question 9

Which of the following was the major forensic question in the Andrea Yates case?
a. Whether she was competent to stand trial
b. Whether to try the case by judge or jury
c. Whether she met the criteria for an insanity defense
d. Whether she had a diagnosable mental illness

Question 10

A male patient interacts with a male therapist as if he were the patient's father. This is an example of .
a. Transference
b. Projection
c. Bias
d. All of the above

Question 11

relates to the defendant's mental state at the time of the offense.
a. Competency to stand trial
b. Insanity
c. Mental defect
d. All of the above

Question 12

Law enforcement officers claim that if they don't use a psychic on a cold case they will be pressured to do so by family or some other quarter.

Question 13

Forensic psychology and forensic psychiatry refer to the application of the behavioral sciences to legal questions.

Question 14

The presence of a mental illness or defect makes one insane.

Question 15

Forensic psychologists can evaluate patients, diagnose illnesses both psychological and medical), and prescribe medication.

Question 16

Inability to stand trial is often equated with , when that is not the case.
a. Mental illness
b. Insanity
c. Intelligence
d. All of the above

Question 17

Forensic mental health professionals may conduct evaluations in what type of case?

A) Criminal
B) Civil
C) All of the above
D) None of the above

Question 18

The insanity defense is rarely used.

Question 19

In the O.C. Smith case, why did investigators doubt Dr. Smith's story?
a. A chemical was thrown into his face and none got into his eyes
b. Barbed wire had been wrapped several times around Dr. Smith's face and head with limited injury
c. Investigators were leery of his claim of being overpowered
d. All of the above

Question 20

There are practitioners in both forensic psychiatry and psychology who have gained their expertise through experience, but currently there is an expectation that one has taken some advanced education and training to qualify as an expert in these fields.

Question 21

Define the terms forensic psychologist and forensic psychiatrist. Explain the differences between the two forensic mental health professionals.

Question 22

Explain the difference between competency to stand trial and insanity. Provide an example of a case that illustrates one of these concepts.
e.g., charges, possible outcomes) and to assist an attorney with his or her defense. This differs from insanity criminal responsibility)---the defendant's mental state at the time of the offense. Generally a person needs to be able at the time of the crime) to understand that what he or she was doing was wrong or against the law.
Case examples: Andrea Yates, Jeffrey Dahmer, O.C. Smith

Question 23

Jeffrey Dahmer was found to be insane due to a major diagnosable mental illness.

Question 24

Projection is a psychoanalytical term for the phenomenon that occurs when a patient relates to a therapist in a manner that mimics other relationships from the patient's past.

Question 25

Case Study
Read the following case and answer the questions below.
A female profiler has ambivalent feelings about motherhood. She has a teenage child who
is difficult to control and she resents the child and wishes she were not responsible for her. In assessing victimology in a case where a 12-year-old girl was abducted, the profiler focuses on some signals that the mother and the victim did not get along and pursues an avenue of case analysis unconsciously designed to prove that the mother wanted to get rid of the child victim.
Define this psychoanalytical term.

Question 26

Case Study
Read the following case and answer the questions below.
A female profiler has ambivalent feelings about motherhood. She has a teenage child who
is difficult to control and she resents the child and wishes she were not responsible for her. In assessing victimology in a case where a 12-year-old girl was abducted, the profiler focuses on some signals that the mother and the victim did not get along and pursues an avenue of case analysis unconsciously designed to prove that the mother wanted to get rid of the child victim.
Explain how the profiler can minimize issues such as bias, transference, and projection.