Forensic Psychology 8 Psychology Essay Research Paper

Forensic Psychology
Student Name
Institutional Affiliation
Forensic Psychology
Question 1
Psychology has become critical in the criminal justice system. However, this is a relatively recent development, considering that psychology was rarely allowed into the court system. This was because of concerns raised regarding forensic psychologists and the field. Systemic level questions were raised about the number of trained psychologists who could staff the justice system and offer adequate training as well as supervision. Due to the inadequate number of trained psychologists, the court system felt that forensic psychology could not provide valid assessments. The professionals did not have the required resources to undertake the required screening and assessment.
Furthermore, the style of inquiry between lawyers and psychologists differs. On the one hand, lawyers strive to reveal evidence. The U.S. system assumes that the contest between the opposing sides reveals the truth. As a result, lawyers aggressively endorse a one-sided view of facts (Nolan-Haley et al., 2001). In other words, lawyers strive to achieve advocacy in the court of law. On the other hand, psychologists must ensure objectivity. Unlike lawyers, it is uncommon for researchers to disagree on the interpretation of data. This does not mean that biases do not come into play. However, even where a researcher uses biased methods, the findings are unlikely to be taken seriously. Hence, due to the different approaches psychologists have from the lawyers, it was challenging to reconcile the two positions and involve professional psychologists in criminal proceedings.
The triumph for psychologists in the court system came about following the decision by the Supreme Court of the U.S. in Jenkins v U.S. (1962). The court indicated that a clinical psychologist who is an expert in mental health could indicate the presence or absence of mental health disorders in a court of law (Heilbrun, Grisso, Goldstein & LaDuke, 2013). From that time onwards, expert psychologists in the field have been permitted to express their opinion regarding mental health issues. With time, courts have accepted psychologists as experts, which has increased the demands placed upon the professionals. The move has led to the development of forensic psychology as a field.
Question 2
In the criminal justice system, an individual cannot be held responsible for committing a crime if he/she does not possess the “guilty mind.” The idea of responsibility connects with the most fundamental convictions regarding human nature. Punishing a person who is not responsible for a crime is a violation of their basic human rights (Maculan & Gil Gil, 2020). At the same time, if a person is unable to defend him/herself, this evokes the principle of natural just...