Assignment 2: Fieldwork Observation Task
Fieldwork Observation: Overview
In this course, you will experience a fieldwork placement designed to introduce you to professionals and to specialized practices in the field of forensic psychology. This assignment will help you learn how to apply the knowledge learned in this course in the real world as well as develop and polish your networking skills.
In Module 1, you will investigate and develop a list of potential fieldwork locations for observing and talking with forensic psychology professionals. Develop a list of at least three potential placements. There is a wide range of professionals who work within the legal and correctional systems. Your interaction with these professionals can be face-to-face, as with a tour of a facility or an interview, or it can occur over the phone when face-to-face meetings are not practical.
You have three fieldwork-related assignments in this course.
To prepare for your fieldwork, perform the following tasks:
* Develop a plan in Module 2 in which you identify options and develop time lines for the fieldwork you will complete throughout the course.
* Document plans for specific days and times for the observation and conversation scheduled for fieldworks to be conducted.
* Actively plan, reconfirm, and conduct fieldwork activities; however, the actual scheduling of these activities may be staggered to accommodate fieldwork practitioner's schedules.
* Develop alternate plans in the event one or more scheduled activities might be cancelled.
Your fieldwork observation should include the following:
* Name of the professional
* Affiliation of the professional
* Degrees and licensure
* Types of training in forensic psychology (if applicable)
* Primary job responsibilities
* Client population served
* Any ethical conflicts the professional routinely encounters
* Recommendations to a graduate student in forensic psychology
* Other observations as deemed appropriate
* Reflection on what you learned from the fieldwork experience
By Module 2, you should have a schedule for conducting your fieldwork assignment so that you can submit a fieldwork plan in M2 Assignment 1. You will report on the fieldwork experience in M3 Assignment 2 RA 1.
It is crucial to contact individuals this week in order to arrange a time to meet or converse with them as many of them may have busy schedules and will need advance notice.
Identify Potential Fieldwork Locations
In this module, you will investigate and identify options for observing and discussing with professionals on various aspects of forensic psychology at work in the legal system. The fieldwork observation can occur at a variety of facilities and with a range of professionals, including, but not limited to, the following:
* Forensic psychology professionals in private practice
* Forensic psychology professionals working in a correctional setting
* Mental health professionals in facilities providing forensic services such as community-based treatment for offenders or crisis centers accepting involuntarily admitted patients
* Attorneys who work with forensic psychology professionals as in family law, personal injury for psychological damages, or with issues of competency and criminal responsibility
* Police departments
Note: Some police departments may only use psychology professionals on a consulting basis. Therefore, it would be helpful to inquire at the local police agency about whether it has a psychology professional among the staff or whether it uses one as a consultant for preemployment evaluations. You may also want to speak with polygraph administrators who assess offenders.
* Mental health professionals at juvenile detention centers and mental health professionals who provide services to victims of abuse and sexual assault in public and private agencies
* Polygraph administrators who assess offenders
* Mental health professionals who work with children and adolescents involved in the legal system, such as juvenile courts
Tasks:
In a minimum of 250 words, respond to the following:
* Develop a list of three potential fieldwork locations.
* Describe why each might be of interest and value. Also, include any additional information gathered about each location.
All written assignments and responses should follow APA rules for attributing sources.
Submission Details:
* By the due date assigned, post your responses to this Discussion Area.
* Through the end of the module, respond to at least two of your classmates' posts. While responding, compare the similarities and differences between what you have constructed and what your classmates have.
Assignment 3: Individual Research Task
Individual Research: Overview
As a forensic psychology professional, you need to critically analyze statutory and case laws related to psycholegal issues and correctly apply the knowledge from your analysis in your work. The individual research course projects will provide you with the opportunity to analyze the landmark cases related to psycholegal issues.
In Module 1, identify at least one landmark legal case or court decision for each of these important psycholegal areas: CST, criminal responsibility (MSO), the right to mental health treatment, the right to refuse psychiatric treatment, coercion to mental health treatment, and participation in treatment and civil commitment of sex offenders.
Critically analyze the essence of the selected cases.
You may be asking what it means to discuss the "essence" of a court decision. The essence of a court decision involves two things: (1) the issue under dispute and (2) how the court decided that issue. You can usually summarize this information in one or two paragraphs. Remember that you need to identify the final decision by the highest court. Landmark cases are almost always the cases that have been appealed to higher courts for a ruling on an issue of law.
Looking Ahead
Through Modules 2 and 3, you should continue to conduct research on professional literature to find additional information regarding the selected cases to create a case report. Note that professional literature may include the Argosy University online library resources, relevant textbooks, peer-reviewed journal articles, and websites created by professional organizations, agencies, or institutions (.edu, .org, and .gov).
You may refer to the following links for additional information:
* Landmark Cases of the US Supreme Court
* Supreme Court of the U.S.
* Google
* US Supreme Court Center
In M4 Assignment 2, you will create and submit a case report for each case related to competency and criminal responsibility right to treatment, right to refuse treatment, coercion, and participation in treatment and civil commitment of sex offenders. You are highly encouraged to work on these case reports on a weekly basis and not wait until Module 4 to complete. Write each case report in 2-3 paragraphs, providing your analysis and interpretation of the case. In addition, analyze the roles and responsibilities of a forensic psychology professional in the circumstances presented in each case.
Click here to view a sample case report, which you will use as a template in your M4 Assignment 2 to write your case reports.
Note: Remember that you do not need to use the sample report in this assignment. You only need to write about the essence of the case. You will utilize the sample case format in Module 4.
Landmark Case Selection
In this assignment, you will research specific cases, describe the essence of each case, and critically analyze how each relates to the practice of forensic psychology.
Click here to view a list of landmark cases.
Case Law by Topic
Police Psychology?Bonsignore v. City of New York (1982)
Courts ruled that the police agency can be held liable for the actions of employees who were not properly screened. Conte v. Horcher (1997)?Courts ruled that police agencies have a right to order an officer to submit to a physical or
mental exam to determine the officer's ability to perform the requirements of the job. David v. Christian (1987)
Courts upheld that the employing agency that requests an evaluation is the client and holds the right of confidentiality.
McCabe v. Hoberman (1969)?Courts ruled that police agencies have a right to include psychological evaluations in their
screening process.?Vinson v. The Superior Court of Alameda County (1987)
The court ruled that the examiner should have the freedom to probe deeply into the plaintiff's psyche without interference by a third party.
. Investigative Psychology?o The Estate of Sam Shepard v. State of Ohio (2000)
The judge ruled that a former FBI profiler would need to limit his or her expert testimony and could not testify. The judge ruled that such testimony would amount to profiling evidence, and profiling testimony did not meet the standards of Daubert.
o U.S. v. Robinson (2000)?Federal courts ruled that forensic psychology professionals may not testify as to whether an
individual could or could not have committed a crime based on typologies.
Competency to Stand Trial?o Faretta v. California (1975)
The court ruled that competency to waive one's right to counsel had no relationship to the defendant's actual ability to legally self-represent.
o Godinez v. Moran (1993) (Competency to stand trial)
The court ruled that no different or higher standard was required for the waiver of important rights than the Dusky standard.
Page 1 of 3 Psychology and the Legal System Jackson v. Indiana (1972) (Competency to stand trial)
The US Supreme Court ruled that if a defendant is determined incompetent, the state may involuntarily hospitalize and treat the defendant for a reasonable period of time to determine the probability that the person can achieve trial competency in the foreseeable future.
o Pate v. Robinson (1966) (Competency to stand trial)?The US Supreme Court ruled that a trial judge must raise the issue of competency if any evidence presented creates a "bona fide doubt" about the defendant's competency. o Riggins v. Nevada (1992) (Competency to stand trial)
The US Supreme Court ruled that a defendant found incompetent could be administered medication against his or her will if the state can show that the medication is essential for the defendant's safety or the safety of others or that there are no other less intrusive means to obtain an adjudication of guilt or innocence.
o United States v. Duhon (2000) (Competency to stand trial)?The court ruled that the release of a mentally retarded defendant who did not pose a danger to
himself or society since he would never achieve trial competency.
Criminal Responsibility?o Durham v. United States (1954) (Criminal responsibility)
The court ruled that when attempting to determine guilt there has to be both free will and intent to do harm.
o United States v. Brawner (1972) (Criminal responsibility)?The court repealed the Durham rule and adopted a modified version of the Model Penal Code
Rule (The Brawner rule).?o United States v. Hinckley (1982) (Criminal responsibility)
The US Congress passed the Federal Insanity Defense Reform Act (1984). Defendants must prove insanity by clear and convincing evidence
Coerced Treatment?o Washington v. Harper (1990)
The US Supreme Court upheld that an administrative hearing is sufficient to administer psychoactive drugs to an inmate against his or her will.
o McKune v. Lile (2002) (Coerced treatment)
The US Supreme Court ruled that a prison could withdraw privileges if an inmate refused to participate in a treatment program.
Tasks:
* Select one case for each of the following six legal areas:
* CST
* Criminal responsibility (MSO)
* Right to receive mental health treatment
* Right to refuse psychiatric treatment
* Coercion to mental health treatment
* Participation in treatment and civil commitment of sex offenders
Conduct individual research from professional literature to critically analyze the essence of the selected cases in forensic psychology. Note that professional literature may include the Argosy University online library resources, relevant textbooks, peer-reviewed journal articles, and websites created by professional organizations, agencies, or institutions (.edu, .org, and .gov). Present your choices, as well as your critical analysis of the essence of each case, in 2- to 3-paragraphs in a Microsoft Word document.
All written assignments and responses should follow APA rules for attributing sources.
Assignment 1: Weighing Chief Concerns
Cadet Selection Procedure and FFDE
case study :Weighing Chief Concerns
The police chief is facing a dilemma regarding whether the department should attempt to select individuals who will be good officers or whether the department should simply try to weed out potentially bad officers. Specifically, the chief wants to know what the research suggests is the best procedure for selecting new police officers. As part of Dr. Shayleigh Johnson's new role as a police psychology professional, she has been asked to evaluate the police's cadet selection procedure.
One day, as Dr. Johnson is working on the cadet selection procedure, the chief summons her to his office. He shuts the door and starts to speak in a whispering voice. He appears to be serious and troubled. He explains to Dr. Johnson that a veteran of fifteen years on the force appears to be having some difficulties. He tells her the officer failed to conduct a thorough search of a suspect and allowed a detainee to introduce contraband into the jail. On another occasion, when the officer was traveling to a crime-in-progress report, he apparently got lost and approached a house on the wrong street. Another deputy has also expressed concern about the veteran officer. At times, the officer seems to be on drugs while on duty.
The chief wants Dr. Johnson to conduct a fitness-for-duty evaluation (FFDE). He asks Dr. Johnson how she will conduct the evaluation and what the issues of confidentiality regarding the results are. Dr. Johnson needs to report to the chief by the end of the week.
Dr. Johnson is entrusted with the evaluation of the police's cadet selection procedure.
Tasks:
On the basis of the vignette you read, analyze the vignette and respond to the following questions regarding the PEPE process:
* Should the department attempt to select individuals who will be good officers, or should the department simply try to weed out potentially bad officers?
* How should this selection process be conducted, and what psychological testing instruments, if any, should be included?
Now, let's look at a procedure that may be necessary following employment-an FFDE:
* Explain how informed consent and the limits of confidentiality should be handled by the forensic examiner.
* Explain how an FFDE is conducted. Include discussion of psychological tests that might be administered in an FFDE.
* Present the possible outcomes of an FFDE. In other words, what might the examiner recommend to the police department?
All responses should follow APA rules for attributing sources.
Submission Details:
* By the due date assigned, post your responses to this Discussion Area.
* Through by the end of the module, respond to at least two of your classmates' posts. While responding, compare the similarities and differences between what you have constructed and what your classmates have.
Assignment 2: Fieldwork Observation Task
Deliver Fieldwork Plan
Create a plan for your first fieldwork to be conducted in Module 3, including the following details:
* The contact person for your fieldwork.
* The type of fieldwork you will conduct.
* Any organization you plan to visit.
* Background information on the organization to include mission, purpose, and goals.
* The date for your fieldwork.
* Your expectations regarding the fieldwork in terms of material covered in the course. For example, what do you hope to gain from the fieldwork you have selected related to the material presented in the course?
* The plan for the fieldwork, along with a possible backup fieldwork plan. The backup plan should include one, or possibly two, additional fieldwork you will be able to conduct in the event an originally planned fieldwork falls through for any number of reasons.
Write your response in a 3- to 4-page Microsoft Word document.
Assignment 1 Discussion Discussion Topic
Assignment 1: Assault in the City: Criminal Profiling
Case study Assault in the City
In the past six months, five women have reported being sexually assaulted by a stranger. The details of the incidents are similar. All the women live alone and were assaulted in their homes between 5:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. The police are concerned the offender is a serial rapist. The chief feels more women may have been assaulted but are reluctant to come forward. However, he is concerned that if he publicizes his suspicions in the hope of finding other victims, he may lose his chances of catching the perpetrator.
The assaults occurred early in the morning, and four of the victims were awakened in the dark. So they could not provide a good visual description of the attacker. However, one victim was coming out of the shower when she was assaulted and possibly is the best eyewitness. Unfortunately, due to the trauma, she has apparently repressed her memory of the event.
The chief decides to ask Dr. Shayleigh Johnson for assistance. He asks her whether she can develop an offender profile. He remarks he has heard of criminal profiling and understands it has had some successes as well as failures. He wants to know how a criminal profile is conducted and the validity of any developed profiles. He warns Dr. Johnson that he does not want to waste precious time and human resources on a wild-goose chase when there is a serial rapist acting without the fear of reprisals. However, he does want some factual answers from Dr. Johnson.
The chief also confides they do not have any leads although they have deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) samples that match and have checked all the sexual offenders. He confesses the investigation is at a loss. He suggests that if they could get a description of the offender, they may be able to use it in the media to seek assistance. However, only one victim had a clear view of her attacker, and she appears to have repressed the memory.
The chief wants to know whether Dr. Johnson can use hypnosis to help the victim recall her attacker's face. He wants to know whether hypnosis can help people remember repressed memories, how accurate the hypnotically refreshed memory is, and whether this witness's recollection can be used in court against the accused if he is apprehended.
Tasks:?On the basis of the vignette you read, respond to the following:
* Describe the techniques used in criminal profiling and report on the accuracy of offender's profiles.
* Indicate whether the offender's description is admissible in court. Your answer should target criminal profiling of serial rapists.
* Discuss the role of forensic hypnosis in helping the victim recall repressed memories.
* Cite research indicating the accuracy of hypnotically refreshed memories and the admissibility of a hypnotically refreshed memory into court.
* Help Dr. Johnson offer the chief alternatives to assist the victim to identify possible suspects.
* All written assignments and responses should follow APA rules for attributing sources.?Submission Details:
* By the due date assigned , post your responses to this Discussion Area.
* Through the end of the module, respond to at least two of your classmates' posts. While responding, compare the similarities and differences between what you have constructed and what your classmates have.
Assignment 2 Submission Assignment
Due October 25 at 11:59 ?Assignment 2: RA 1: Fieldwork Observation Task?Fieldwork Report?In this module, conduct your first fieldwork on observations and interactions with forensic psychology professionals. Your interaction with these professionals can be face-to-face, as with a tour of a facility or an interview, or it can occur over the phone when face-to-face meetings are not practical. If you are unable to complete a face-to-face meeting, then follow up with your instructor.?Tasks:
* Create a fieldwork report of your observations and interactions, including the following:
* Name of the professional
* The professional's affiliation and agency's affiliation
* Degrees and licensure
* Type of training in forensic psychology (if applicable)
* Primary job responsibilities
* Client population served
* Any ethical conflicts the professional routinely encounters
* Recommendations to a graduate student in forensic psychology
* Other observations as deemed appropriate
* Reflection on what you learned from the fieldwork experience and how you can apply it in your professional life
* Write your report in a 2- to 3-page Microsoft Word document.?Follow APA guidelines for writing and citing in-text references. All written assignments and responses should follow APA rules for attributing sources.?Your report should rely upon at least two sources from additional professional literature; the sources must be cited in APA format.
Assignment 1: Assault in the City: Testimony
Assault in the City
Due to the intense media coverage, additional victims of the serial rapist have come forward to the police. However, the defense is questioning the veracity of these claims. Dr. Shayleigh Johnson is asked by the court to interview several of the victims of the alleged rapist.
Two of these victims had not reported the crime to the police when it occurred. They have come forward only now, when the case is prepared to go to trial. The defense is suggesting these alleged victims actually are involved in a personal vendetta and are seeking publicity related to a high-profile case. Dr. Johnson needs to assess the veracity of these claims and report to the court. To complicate matters, one of the victims who did not initially report the rape is a schoolmate of Dr. Johnson's fifteen-year-old daughter. Though not close friends, they do move in some of the same social circles. Dr. Johnson does not know the victim or her family.
The assistant district attorney (ADA), who is under intense public scrutiny regarding the trial, suggests to Dr. Johnson she could lose the case if these newly self-identified victims are inconsistent in their testimonies and appear to be disingenuous. The prosecutor asks Dr. Johnson to prepare to testify with regard to how victims of sexual assault respond and the reasons why victims may not report their assault to the police. Additionally, the prosecutor wants her to be available to describe possible motives of the defendant.
Tasks:
Assist Dr. Johnson by helping her to prepare for testimony on the basis of the vignette.
Address the following points in the testimony:
* Dr. Johnson needs to be conversant in the literature detailing the reactions of victims to sexual assault, including psychological and behavioral reactions.
* Dr. Johnson also needs to be prepared to present evidence on how many women did not report sexual assault and the various reasons they fail to contact the police.
* She also needs to discuss with the prosecutor the pros and cons of asking these women to appear on the witness stand and testify.
* All of her testimony must be supported by the empirical literature.
Follow APA guidelines for citing sources.
Submission Details:
* By the due date assigned , post your responses to this Discussion Area.
* Through the end of the module, respond to at least two of your classmates' posts. While responding, compare the similarities and differences between what you have constructed and what your classmates have.
Assignment 2: Individual Research Task
Landmark Case Presentation
In this module, present your research findings on the landmark cases related to competency to stand trial (CST), criminal responsibility, the right to receive mental health treatment, the right to refuse psychiatric treatment, coercion to mental health treatment, and civil commitment and treatment of sex offenders.
Tasks:
Create a case report for each selected case, including the following headings:
* Title and Citation: Provide the title of the case and in which court the case is involved.
* Type of Action: Describe the type of the case.
* Facts of the Case: Describe the key facts in the case with roles and responsibilities of forensic psychology professionals.
* Contentions of the Parties: Explain the relevant points in the contentions of the parties.
* Issue: Describe the issue from the viewpoint of the psycholegal question at hand.
* Decision: Explain the decision in the case with implications, present and future, for the practice of forensic psychology.
* Reasoning: Explain the reasoning provided by the trial judges or justices to arrive at the decision and dissenting opinions, if any.
* Rule of Law: Describe the rule of law with regard to the practice of forensic psychology.
Click here for a sample case report, which you can also use as a template to write your individual case report.
A Sample Case Report
Title and Citation: Gilbert v. Homar, 117 S. Ct. 1807 (1997).
Type of Action: Civil Suit for Violation of Due Process
Facts of the Case: Homar was employed as a police officer at East Stroudsburg University, a state institution. He was arrested on August 26 at a friend's house during a drug raid and charged with possession of marijuana, possession with intent to deliver, and criminal conspiracy to violate the controlled substance law, a felony charge.
He was suspended without pay the next day by the university. Although the charges were dropped by the state police on September 1, the university wished to pursue its own investigation. The university officials met with Homar on September 18 to hear his side of the story.
On September 23, he was demoted to groundskeeper and was told he would receive back pay at the groundskeeper rate, though he eventually received back pay at the police officer rate. The union president met with the university president, Gilbert, on September 24. The demotion was based, in part, on a confession by Homar given to the state police on the night of his arrest. Homar contended that he was denied due process since there was no hearing prior to his suspension without pay.
Contentions of the Parties: Homar contended that he was denied due process since he did not have a hearing prior to being suspended without pay. He used prior cases in which the Supreme Court had ruled that a tenured state employee must have a pretermination hearing. Thus, a tenured state employee cannot be fired without due process. However, as presented by Justice Scalia, Homar had simply been suspended and not terminated. The issue of denying him his livelihood was only temporary, during his suspension, and should not have posed a hardship.
Issue: Can the state suspend a tenured employee without pay without hearing the employee's side of the case?
Decision: The court ruled three issues that are to be considered. First is the respondent's (Homar's) interest and how it is affected by the official's decision. In this case, Homar was denied pay during his suspension. The second consideration is the risk of an erroneous decision by the officials due to the procedures used to reach the decision and any safeguards in place to reverse an erroneous decision. Homar was granted a hearing with the university officials approximately three weeks after the suspension took effect. The third consideration by the court is the government's interest.
Reasoning: The court ruled that there was probable cause for university officials to believe Homar had violated the law due to his alleged confession in the police report. Thus, they were justified in suspending Homar. The court ruled that the suspension was not final and that the deprivation of income was also only temporary, pending a postsuspension hearing. Finally, the state has an interest in immediately suspending public officials who occupy highly visible roles when they are charged with felony crimes.
Rule of Law: Due process must be viewed as procedures that take into account the circumstances of the situation for both parties involved. Here, the state was able to delay the due process by immediately suspending Homar. However, the suspension was viewed as temporary, pending a prompt hearing (Homar's due process), and the state's interest in maintaining public trust in the university police force justified an immediate suspension. The court also ruled suspension with pay would essentially be a "paid leave at taxpayer expense" and is not constitutionally protected.
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Psychology and the Legal System
Title and Citation: Gilbert v. Homar, 117 S. Ct. 1807 (1997).
Type of Action: Civil Suit for Violation of Due Process
Facts of the Case: Homar was employed as a police officer at East Stroudsburg University, a state institution. He was arrested on August 26 at a friend's house during a drug raid and charged with possession of marijuana, possession with intent to deliver, and criminal conspiracy to violate the controlled substance law, a felony charge. He was suspended without pay the next day by the university. Although the charges were dropped by the state police on September 1, the university wished to pursue its own investigation. The university officials met with Homar on September 18 to hear his side of the story.
On September 23, he was demoted to groundskeeper and was told he would receive back pay at the groundskeeper rate, though he eventually received back pay at the police officer rate. The union president met with the university president, Gilbert, on September 24. The demotion was based, in part, on a confession by Homar given to the state police on the night of his arrest. Homar contended that he was denied due process since there was no hearing prior to his suspension without pay.
Contentions of the Parties: Homar contended that he was denied due process since he did not have a hearing prior to being suspended without pay. He used prior cases in which the Supreme Court had ruled that a tenured state employee must have a pretermination hearing. Thus, a tenured state employee cannot be fired without due process. However, as presented by Justice Scalia, Homar had simply been suspended and not terminated. The issue of denying him his livelihood was only temporary, during his suspension, and should not have posed a hardship.
Issue: Can the state suspend a tenured employee without pay without hearing the employee's side of the case?
Decision: The court ruled three issues that are to be considered. First is the respondent's (Homar's) interest and how it is affected by the official's decision. In this case, Homar was denied pay during his suspension. The second consideration is the risk of an erroneous decision by the officials due to the procedures used to reach the decision and any safeguards in place to reverse an erroneous decision. Homar was granted a hearing with the university officials approximately three weeks after the suspension took effect. The third consideration by the court is the government's interest.
Reasoning: The court ruled that there was probable cause for university officials to believe Homar had violated the law due to his alleged confession in the police report. Thus, they were justified in suspending Homar. The court ruled that the suspension was not final and that the deprivation of income was also only temporary, pending a postsuspension hearing. Finally, the state has an interest in immediately suspending public officials who occupy highly visible roles when they are charged with felony crimes.
Rule of Law: Due process must be viewed as procedures that take into account the circumstances of the situation for both parties involved. Here, the state was able to delay the due process by immediately suspending Homar. However, the suspension was viewed as temporary, pending a prompt hearing (Homar's due process), and the state's interest in maintaining public trust in the university police force justified an immediate suspension. The court also ruled suspension with pay would essentially be a "paid leave at taxpayer expense" and is not constitutionally protected.
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Psychology and the Legal System
© 2013 Argosy University
Write the case reports in not more than a 6-page Microsoft Word document.
All written assignments and responses should follow APA rules for attributing sources.
You may refer to the following links for additional information:
* Landmark Cases of the US Supreme Court
* Supreme Court of the U.S.
* FindLaw
* Google
* US Supreme Court Center
Assignment 1 Discussion
Assignment 1: Assault in the City: CST and Criminal Responsibility at the Time of Offense
Assault in the City
The chief asks Dr. Johnson to conduct a competency to stand trial (CST) evaluation and a criminal responsibility evaluation, referred to as the mental state at the time of an offense (MSO), of the defendant. Dr. Johnson must report her findings to the court. She has already seen media publicity suggesting the prosecutor is going to play "hard ball" and wants to try the young man as an adult and seek the longest possible prison sentence.
The chief recommends a CST evaluation and an MSO evaluation so, as he says, "nothing will come back to bite them" after the trial. Although she finds the young man's alleged behavior reprehensible, she feels confident she can conduct an objective evaluation.
She has interviewed the individual and understands his low intelligence quotient (IQ) and dysfunctional family background as mitigating factors. Although she does not wish to advocate for the defendant, she feels he may not be competent to go to trial. She prepares to conduct the CST and MSO evaluations. However, the day before the examination is scheduled, her fifteen-year-old daughter tells her the man was a "friend" on her computer social network. She recognized his face from the news and told her mother after her mother mentioned she was working on this case.
The daughter denies having ever met the man and states her page is set so "anyone can be my friend; it doesn't mean I know them!" Dr. Johnson must now conduct the evaluations objectively, although she feels her daughter may have been threatened. She realizes this connection is insufficient to withdraw from the case.
Tasks:
On the basis of the vignette you read, respond to the following:
* Define competency to stand trial and indicate the standard used for juvenile and adult competency. Discuss the landmark case(s) relevant to competency determinations.
* Describe the elements or issues that a mental health professional usually focuses on when assessing a person's competence to stand trial.
* On the basis of the information you have from the vignette, provide an opinion on the defendant's competence to stand trial.
Submission Details:
* By the due date assigned , post your responses to this Discussion Area.
* Through the end of the module, respond to at least two of your classmates' posts. While responding, compare the similarities and differences between what you have constructed and what your classmates have.
Assignment 2: LASA: Assault in the City: Trial, Sentencing, and Appeal
Assault in the City
The defendant has been found guilty of three counts of sexual battery. The other witnesses were reluctant to testify, and the assistant district attorney (ADA) felt that the three counts would suffice for a lengthy prison sentence. However, the defendant is seventeen years old. Dr. Shayleigh Johnson has been asked to evaluate him to assist in the sentencing. The defendant can be sentenced to adult prison or juvenile corrections. Dr. Johnson is asked to evaluate his amenability to treatment, conduct a risk assessment, and recommend what, if any, treatment should be pursued.
Tasks:
On the basis of the vignette you read, write a paper supported by appropriate, peer-reviewed sources and case law that responds to the following:
* Define risk of dangerousness and discuss the relevant landmark court cases relevant to this psycholegal issue.
* Discuss the relevance of the defendant's age to a risk of dangerousness assessment.
* Describe the elements or issues that a mental health professional usually focuses on when assessing a person's risk of dangerousness.
* On the basis of the information you have from the vignette, provide an opinion on the defendant's risk of dangerousness.
* Define insanity and discuss the relevant landmark court cases relevant to this psycholegal issue.
* Discuss the relevance, if any, of the defendant's age to a determination of mental status at the time of the offense.
* Describe the elements or issues that a mental health professional usually focuses on when assessing a person's mental status at the time of the offense.
* Discuss the potential ethical concerns that may be encountered by a forensic professional in the evaluation and assessment of each of these psycholegal issues.
* Discuss the potential impact of an individual's culture in the evaluation and assessment of each of these psycholegal issues.
* On the basis of the information you have from the vignette, provide an opinion on the defendant's likelihood of using an insanity defense.
Use resources from professional literature to support your analysis. The professional literature may include the Argosy University online library resources; relevant textbooks; peer-reviewed journal articles; and websites created by professional organizations, agencies, or institutions (.edu, .org, and .gov).
All written assignments and responses should follow APA rules for attributing sources.