forensics Specification

Question 1

Top down profiling

Answer 1

Offender profiling: The top down approach, including organised and disorganised types of offenders (constructing FBI profile)

Question 2

Bottom up Profiling

Answer 2

offender profiling: bottom-up approach, including investigative psychology; geographical profiling.

Question 3

A Historical approach: Atavistic Form

Answer 3

Biological explanations of offending behaviour: an historical approach (atavistic form), (facial characteristics, genetic throwbacks)

Question 4

Genetic Explanations

Answer 4

Biological explanations of offending behaviour: genetic explanations (twin, family, adoption studies and candidate genes, Diathesis stress model)

Question 5

Neural Explanations

Answer 5

Biological explanations of offending behaviour: Neural explanations (Neuro chemistry (noradrenaline/low serotonin/testosterone), prefrontal cortex, mirror neurons)

Question 6

Eysencks Theory of criminal personality

Answer 6

psychological explanations of offending behaviour: Eysencks theory of the criminal personality (introversion/extroversion) Neuroticism-stability, Psychoticism-sociability, and criminal personality (measuring it))

Question 7

Level of Moral Reasoning

Answer 7

Psychological explanations of offending behaviour: cognitive explanations; level of moral reasoning (Heinz dilemma), (moral development-kohlberg levels), (level of moral reasoning and criminality)

Question 8

Cognitive distortions

Answer 8

Psychological explanations of offending behaviour: cognitive explanations; cognitive distortions, including hostile attribution bias and minimalisation.

Question 9

The super ego

Answer 9

Psychological explanations of offending behaviour: psychodynamic explanations (superego development, Oedipus/electra; weak, deviant and over harsh superego)

Question 10

Maternal deprivation theory

Answer 10

Psychological explanations of offending behaviour: psychodynamic explanations (bowlby maternal deprovation, affection less psychopathy, 44 thieves)

Question 11

Custodial sentencing

Answer 11

Dealing with offending behaviour: the aims of custodial sentencing (4) and the psychological effects of custodial sentencing (3) Recidivism

Question 12

Behaviour Modification

Answer 12

Dealing with offending behaviour: behaviour modification in custody (behaviourist, operant) (token economy systems) (designing and using a token Economy, training staff, operationalising behaviour)

Question 13

Anger management

Answer 13

Dealing with offending behaviour: anger management (3 stages)

Question 14

Restorative justice programs

Answer 14

Dealing with offending behaviour: restorative justice programmes (the process, key features, sentencing and restitution, aims to survivor, offender and wider community)

Question 15

Differential association

Answer 15

Psychological explanations of offending: differential association theory (learning attitudes and techniques, Alarid)