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Nature of course request C00869 :

New course

Undergraduate

First term offered : Spring 2011
Course Prefix&Number	Descriptive Title	Credits/Hours
PSY 436	Introduction to Forensic Psychology	0 - 0

Abbreviation for Class Schedule(20 spaces) Intro Forensic Psych

Catalog Description: This course explores the relationship between the study of psychology and law. Specifically, how psychological practice and theory can be utilized by law enforcement, courts, and others involved with the justice system to help arrive at appropriate decisions regarding such issues as incarceration, treatment, guilt and innocence. In addition, topics related to expert testimony, psychopathic deviance, child sexual abuse and custody determination, as well as criminal investigation techniques are some of the areas that may be covered. Prerequisites: PSY 201 and PSY 202.

Course Goal and Objectives: ¿ Students will understand how psychology can be applied to the legal system. ¿ Students will develop an understanding of the various roles and responsibilities of a forensic psychologist. ¿ Students will develop a better understanding of issues related to determining competency to stand trial and determinations of sanity at the time of the offense. ¿ Students will develop a better understanding of the psychopathic personality. ¿ Students will appreciate the difference between treatment and corrections. ¿ Understand the relationships between forensic psychologists and law enforcement. ¿ Learn how risk is assessed in violent offenders. ¿ Develop a better appreciation of the techniques and goals involved in child sexual abuse cases and custody determinations.

Justification for adding the course (e.g. alignment with other institutions, program revision, etc.): We do not currently have a psychology course at WOU that focuses specifically on the application of psychology to the law. There are many avenues in which psychology can be utilized in legal settings to help benefit society. This course will help inform professionals in areas of human behavior and the mind that pertain specifically to judicial decisions. More and more we are witnessing psychological theory being drawn into forensic issues. Many professionals in disciplines affiliated with the law, such as police personnel, judges, lawyers, and so forth are being required to undergo some psychology training in order to make them more sensitive to the population with whom they are interacting. As a result of understanding how the profession of psychology can be applied in legal arenas it provides more opportunities for our psychology students to pursue important psychological practice in a variety of settings that service the well-being of our community. According to the American Psychology-Law Association, Division 41 of the American Psychological Association: Forensic psychology, and the larger area of psychology and law, have both enjoyed steady growth during the last three decades. The field has not been affected by the changes in our health care system to nearly the same extent as the "fee for service" delivery of psychological services in other areas. Research, consultation, and practice in areas of psychology relevant to the law should continue to expand over the next ten years. It is important to note, however, that while the need for services has remained constant or expanded, there is increased effort within psychology to provide relevant training, important research, and guidelines for the practice that should mean that those specializing in this area will be among the highest in demand for the delivery of services to courts, attorneys, and law-makers. Psychology and law has also grown steadily within academic areas. Although some programs are specifically devoted to this specialty, it is more common to find faculties with one or two members who are interested in some aspect of psychology and law (see Graduate Programs in Psychology and Law for a listing of specialty programs). It is likely that the availability of these kinds of positions will be subject to other influences (such as the availability of faculty positions generally), but such availability should compare favorably with most other specialties. http://www.ap-ls.org/students/Careers.php Thus, it is clear that Forensic Psychology is an important addition to the coursework we offer here at WOU. Not only is this an area of great interest to our students, but it is also an area of psychology that offers many exciting and valuable employment opportunities for the future of our students. Neighboring universities here in Oregon offer courses in Forensic Psychology at both the undergraduate and graduate level. For example, University of Oregon offers 420/520 Psychology and Law; Pacific University offers GPSY-835 Juvenile Forensic Psychology and GPSY-836 Adult Forensic Psychology; and, Portland State University offers a Forensic Track graduate program in their Psychology department. As this exciting area of psychology becomes better known, which it has in the past 30 years in part due to media programming, the demand for more courses in psychology and law will emerge. Western Oregon University will be among those schools that already offer this engaging area of study.

Faculty and facilities needed: Our current faculty and facilities are sufficient to meet the needs of this new course.

Brief Course outline: 1. What is Forensic Psychology? What can psychology offer? What tensions exist between applying psychology to the law? 2. What does a Forensic Psychologist actually do? What responsibilities do they hold, and to whom? 3. How can Forensic Psychologists be utilized by the courts to help determine competency to stand trial and competency issues for those accused? 4. Techniques in a criminal investigation ¿ police interrogation, hypnosis, polygraph testing, and profiling. 5. The application of psychology to law enforcement ¿ personnel selection, fitness for duty, counseling, sensitivity training to be used when confronting those with mental health issues. 6. Conducting risk assessment ¿ determining degree of dangerousness in violent offenders and sex offenders who are facing parole. 7. In-depth analysis of Forensic Psychology, Robert Hare¿s Psychopathy Checklist ¿ frequently used tool in diagnosing evidence of psychopathic traits. 8. In-depth analysis of serial killers who fit the criteria of psychopathy ¿ are they mad or bad? 9. Teen killers ¿diagnosis, warning signs, case studies. 10. Discrimination and Sexual Harassment at school or the work place. What role do Forensic Psychologists have here? 11. Child Abuse and Child Custody evaluations ¿ assessment of parental fitness to parent, use of anatomically-correct dolls and improper interview techniques with children that can lead to false testimony.

Approval Queue C00869

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