| Number of Assignments |
10 |
|
Duration (approx) |
100 hours |
"Interested in learning about the psychology of crime? This is the course for you!"
Develop your understanding of criminal psychology and how psychology is used in law enforcement and crime prevention.
Course Structure and Content
There are ten lessons consisting of -
1. Introduction to Criminal Psychology
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Definitions of Crime
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Consensus View of what Crime is
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Conflict View of Crime
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Interactionist View of Crime
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Scope of Criminal Psychology
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What Criminal Psychologists do
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Case Study
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Profiling
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Courts
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Correctional System
2. Psychological approaches to understanding crime
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Biological explanations of Crime
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Phrenology
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Eugenics
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XYY Chromosome Model
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Genetics
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Twin Studies
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Adoption Studies
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Nature, Nurture
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Environmental Explanations of Crime
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Family Influence
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Agency Explanations; Rational Choice Theory
3. Psychology and understanding serious crimes
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Aggression
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Different Types of Aggression
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Terminology
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Drive Theories
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Freudian Theories
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Social Learning Theories
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Biological and Evolutionary Theories
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Types of Aggression
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Aggression an against Outsiders
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Aggression in Species
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Aggression in Humans
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Environmental Influences on Human Aggression
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Imitation or Modelling
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Familiarity
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Reinforcement
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Aggression and Culture
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Other Factors in Aggression; Alcohol, Pain, Frustration
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Murder
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Sexual Assault
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Stalking
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Pursuit Behaviour
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False Stalking Syndrome
4. Mental disorder and crime 1 – Learning disabilities and crime
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Meaning of Learning Disabilities
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IQ Testing
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Crime and Intelligence
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Modern Intelligence Testing
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Learning Disabilities and Crime in General
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Sex Offences and People with Learning Disabilities
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Courts
5. Mental Disorder and Crime 2 – Psychopathy
6. Gender and Crime
7. Youth and Crime
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Age of Criminal Responsibility
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Risk Factors
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Mental Health Risk
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Conduct Disorders
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ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
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Cumulative Affect of Risk Factors
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Prevalence and Offending
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Case Studies
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Young People as Victims
8. Psychology and the Police
9. Psychology in the Courtroom
10. Psychology and Crime Prevention
Lesson Aims
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define crime and criminal psychology.
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discuss psychological theories and approaches to understanding crime.
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define serious crimes and explain the involvement of psychology.
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discuss the relationship between a person having a learning disability and committing crime.
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define psychopathy and discuss psychological theories relating to psychopathy.
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discuss gender differences associated with crime.
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discuss the psychological theories relating to youth and crime.
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discuss how psychology is used by the police.
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discuss how psychology is used in the court room.
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discuss the use of psychology in crime prevention.
What is a criminal psychologist?
Criminal psychologists may be known by a variety of names –
- Criminal psychologist
- Forensic psychologist
- Investigative psychologist
- Profiler
- Criminologist
In this course we will use the term criminal psychologist. A criminal psychologist deals with the psychologist aspects of the legal processes. This includes –
- Understanding the psychological problems associated with criminal behaviour.
- Treatment of criminals.
- Applying theory to criminal investigations.
What do Criminal Psychologists do?
Criminal psychologists will cover a range of roles, such as –
- Research evidence to support practice
- Implementing treatment programmes
- Modifying offender behaviour
- Advising parole boards
- Responding to changing needs of prisoners and staff
- Stress management techniques for staff and prisoners
- Statistical analysis used for prisoner profiling.
- Crime analysis
- Mental health tribunals.
In psychology, there are three theories that are the most widespread approaches to defining crime. There are other approaches, but as these are the most widely accepted, we will consider those here.
The Consensus View
This view stems from the sociological theories of J Shepherd (1981). This school of thought holds that society functions as an integrated structure, the stability of which is dependent on consensus or agreement by its members, so that the rules, values and norms are respected by all. Therefore, the legal system of the society is a reflection of what is considered tolerable and intolerable behaviour within that particular society i.e. intolerable behaviour is disapproved of by the majority.
Before a crime can be said to have occurred, it has to be committed. So without an action, there can be no crime.
The Conflict View
The Conflict View is the direct opposite of the Consensus View.
The Interactionist View
The Interactionist View falls between the Consensus and Conflict View. It began as a field of thought within sociology called symbolic interactionism.
Learn more about these theories and a lot more through this course!
Extract from the Course notes -
How do people become psychopaths?
Research has suggested that psychopaths with lower intelligence or a poor education are more likely to end up in prison than psychopaths with higher intelligence. Researchers involved with psychopaths will often note that they lack emotional insight, but when they have a history of criminal behaviour ,they do not seem to learn from that experience, just think up ways to avoid getting caught. So it appears that psychopaths with lower intelligence are less likely to be able to think of ways to avoid getting caught.
In childhood, some theorise that the child is not able to learn right from wrong. The parents become angry and frustrated and try to shield the child from the consequences of their behaviour, trying to educate the child about right and wrong. The child is always in trouble and does not appear to be able to learn. Some parents may feel that the child will eventually understand, but if they don’t the parents may resort to punishment. This is the worst thing that the parent can do, what the child really requires is training in choices, consequences and supervision.
There has also been suggestions that there is a genetic link to the psychopathic personality. Psychopaths appear to lack the ability to feel what others do, the physical sensation of guilt. They may feel anger, sadness or fear, but not guilt for what they have done. Some theorists believe that sexually promiscuous psychopaths who are able to live off other people are survivors and may represent one of the genes for survival in humans.
Other research has shown that adult psychopaths do not benefit from counseling and therapy and may in fact commit further crimes more quickly and again because of it.
Brain scan research has shown that the brains of psychopaths functions and processes information differently. One piece of research showed dead bodies from car accidents to psychopaths and found that they remained calm, whereas other people were clearly upset. They do not appear to use their brain in the same way that others do, suggesting they are physically different to “normal” people.
"Interested in learning about the psychology of crime? This is the course for you!"
Suitable for anyone who works within criminal justice, such as police, social workers, court workers, solicitors, lawyers, probation workers or anyone with an interest in the psychology of crime.
