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CRIMINAL PSYCHOLOGY BPS309

Duration (approx) 100 hours
Qualification
Statement of Attainment

Why Study Criminal Psychology?

 Criminology is a fascinating subject giving us an insight into why people engage in criminal behaviour. What leads people to become criminals? How can we stop criminal behaviour? How can we protect society.

What You Will Study In This Course?

  • Learn about criminal behaviour, psychopathy, antisocial behaviour and teenage offending.
  • Understand psychological approaches to crime.
  • Study for interest or to improve your job prospects and knowledge in this fascinating field.
  • Develop your understanding of criminal psychology and how psychology is used in law enforcement and crime prevention.
  • There are ten lessons in the course covering topics such as aggression, psychopathy, mental disorder and crime, gender and crime, youth and crime, eye witness testimonies and more.

Who Is This Course Suitable For?

This is a useful course for anyone wanting to learn more about criminal psychology. This could be for personal interest or to improve your knowledge for work purposes. The course is suitable for solicitors, lawyers, law enforcement personnel, prison workers, teachers and trainers and anyone interested in learning more about criminal behaviour and how it can arise.

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.

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COURSE STRUCTURE AND CONTENT
Course Duration: 100 hours.

Start Date: Start at any time - study at a pace that suits you, and with full tutor support for the duration of your studies.

Lessons: The course comprises 10 lessons as detailed, below.

1. Introduction to Criminal Psychology

  • Definitions of Crime.
  • Consensus View of what Crime is.
  • Conflict View of Crime.
  • Interactionist View of Crime.
  • Scope of Criminal Psychology.
  • What Criminal Psychologists do.
  • Case Study.
  • Profiling.
  • Courts.
  • Correctional System.


2. Psychological approaches to understanding crime

  • Biological explanations of Crime.
  • Phrenology.
  • Eugenics.
  • XYY Chromosome Model.
  • Genetics.
  • Twin Studies.
  • Adoption Studies.
  • Nature, Nurture.
  • Environmental Explanations of Crime.
  • Family Influence.
  • Agency Explanations; Rational Choice Theory.


3. Psychology and understanding serious crimes

  • Aggression.
  • Different Types of Aggression.
  • Terminology.
  • Drive Theories.
  • Freudian Theories.
  • Social Learning Theories.
  • Biological and Evolutionary Theories.
  • Types of Aggression.
  • Aggression an against Outsiders.
  • Aggression in Species.
  • Aggression in Humans.
  • Environmental Influences on Human Aggression.
  • Imitation or Modelling.
  • Familiarity.
  • Reinforcement.
  • Aggression and Culture.
  • Other Factors in Aggression; Alcohol, Pain, Frustration.
  • Murder.
  • Sexual Assault.
  • Stalking.
  • Pursuit Behaviour.
  • False Stalking Syndrome.


4. Mental disorder and crime 1 – Learning disabilities and crime

  • Meaning of Learning Disabilities.
  • IQ Testing.
  • Crime and Intelligence.
  • Modern Intelligence Testing.
  • Learning Disabilities and Crime in General.
  • Sex Offences and People with Learning Disabilities.
  • Courts.


5. Mental Disorder and Crime 2 – Psychopathy

  • Scope and Nature of Psychopathology.
  • Personality Disorder.
  • Psychopath.
  • Heartless? Emotionless?
  • How do People become Psychopaths.
  • Treatment.


6. Gender and Crime

  • Scope and Nature of Gender and Crime studies.
  • Rates of Crime.
  • Murder and Violence.
  • Prostitution.
  • Case Study –Women Offenders.
  • Victims.
  • Murder.
  • Domestic Violence.
  • Sexual Abuse.


7. Youth and Crime

  • Age of Criminal Responsibility.
  • Risk Factors.
  • Mental Health Risk.
  • Conduct Disorders.
  • ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).
  • Cumulative Affect of Risk Factors.
  • Prevalence and Offending.
  • Case Studies.
  • Young People as Victims.


8. Psychology and the Police

  • Social Construction of Reported Crime.
  • Eyewitness Testimony.
  • Early Research.
  • Schemas and EWT.
  • Police Line Ups.
  • Everyday Uses of Psychology by Police.


9. Psychology in the Courtroom

  • Social Cognition.
  • Behaviour.
  • Appearance.
  • Expectations.
  • The Primacy Effect.
  • Attribution.
  • Schemas and Social Perception.
  • Central Traits.
  • Stereotypes.
  • Social Inference and Decision Making.
  • Psychology and the Law.
  • Guilt Bias.
  • Media Effect.
  • Defendant Attributes.
  • Attorney Attributes.


10. Psychology and Crime Prevention

  • Punishment.
  • Types of Punishment.
  • History of Punishment.
  • Reasons for Punishment.
  • Deterrents.
  • Punishment and Impartiality.



COURSE AIMS

  • Define crime and criminal psychology.
  • Discuss psychological theories and approaches to understanding crime.
  • Define serious crimes and explain the involvement of psychology.
  • Discuss the relationship between a person having a learning disability and committing crime.
  • Define psychopathy and discuss psychological theories relating to psychopathy.
  • Discuss gender differences associated with crime.
  • Discuss the psychological theories relating to youth and crime.
  • Discuss how psychology is used by the police.
  • Discuss how psychology is used in the court room.
  • Discuss the use of psychology in crime prevention.

What Next?

An understanding of criminal psychology is useful for many different careers.  This course will provide you with a fascinating insight into criminal psychology.

Enhance your understanding of criminal psychology or improve your job and career prospects.

You can enrol today by clicking the “Enrol Now” button above.

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Click here to Contact a Psychology Tutor.

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Courses can be started anytime from anywhere in the world!

Meet some of our academics

Tracey Jones (psychology)B.Sc. (Hons) (Psychology), M.Soc.Sc (social work), DipSW (social work), PGCE (Education), PGD (Learning Disability Studies) Tracey began studying psychology in 1990. She has a wide range of experience within the psychology and social work field, particularly working with people with learning disabilities. She is also qualified as a teacher and now teaches psychology and social work related subjects. She has been a book reviewer for the British Journal of Social Work and has also written many textbooks, blogs, articles and ebooks on psychology, writing, sociology, child development and more. She has had also several short stories published.
Jacinda Cole B.Sc.,M.Psych.Psychologist, Educator, Author, Psychotherapist. B.Sc., Psych.Cert., M. Psych. Cert.Garden Design, MACA. Jacinda has over 25 years of experience in psychology, in both Australia and England. She has co-authored several psychology text books and many courses including diploma and degree level courses in psychology and counselling. Jacinda joined ACS in 2001.
Jade SciasciaBiologist, Business Coordinator, Government Environmental Dept, Secondary School teacher (Biology); Recruitment Consultant, Senior Supervisor in Youth Welfare, Horse Riding Instructor (part-completed) and Boarding Kennel Manager. Jade has a B.Sc.Biol, Dip.Professional Education, Cert IV TESOL, Cert Food Hygiene.
Kate Gibson B.Soc.Sc.15+ years experience in HR, marketing, education & project management. Kate has traveled and worked in a variety of locations including London, New Zealand and Australia.


Check out our eBooks

Psychological ProfilingPsychological profiling is used to assess anyone from potential new staff and school children to serial killers. It helps you to determine someone’s personality, neuroses, mental health and career suitability. This book provides an excellent overview of psychological profiling techniques and pitfalls.
Psychology DictionaryThis book provides explanations for common terms used in Psychology.
Counselling HandbookA book for both students, as well as volunteers who may be involved in helping people with problems. This is a starting point for understanding counselling, and a reference for developing counselling skills. The book contains seven chapters: 1. Where can counselling be used 2. How to see behind the mask 3. Emotions and attitudes 4. How to communicate better when all you have is words 5. Theory versus practice 6. Diffusing difficult situations 7. Golden rules or tips
How Children ThinkAnyone who has ever tried to make a child do anything (clean up their mess, desist from throwing mud, stop drawing on the walls) knows that children think differently to adults. This book attempts to provide the skills and knowledge to develop a greater understanding of children.