Assignment 4: Clinical and Forensic Assessment

Tasks:

Using resources from professional literature, explore the concepts of clinical and forensic assessments (professional literature may include relevant textbooks, peer-reviewed journal articles, and websites created by professional organizations, agencies, or institutions [.edu, .org, and .gov]):

In a minimum of 200 words, respond to the following:

• The major differences in the purpose of each type of assessment, with particular emphasis on the referral question, goals for the results of the assessment, and the intended audience

• The differences and similarities in the required qualifications of the person conducting each type of assessment

• The differences and similarities in reliance on clinical observation and empirical research when interpreting assessment results

• The differences and similarities in informed consent

All written assignments and responses should follow APA style for citing sources.

With two 1 paragraph responses

Assignment 3: Juvenile Court

In this assignment, you will focus on evaluations typically conducted for juvenile courts. Some specific purposes of these evaluations include informing the courts of the juvenile's competency and treatment needs and aiding the courts in adjudication decisions.

These evaluations also might help the courts determine appropriate sentences for juveniles charged with crimes. The evaluator has the challenging responsibility of presenting the evaluation results for these intended purposes.

Tasks:

Write a 3- to 4-page paper, including the following points:

• A forensic psychology professional may be asked to conduct different types of juvenile court evaluations. Using the Argosy University online library resources and the Internet, research professional literature available on these evaluations.

Professional literature may include relevant textbooks, peer-reviewed journal articles, and websites created by professional organizations, agencies, or institutions (.edu, .org, and .gov).

• Identify and discuss the forensic psychology professional's role in juvenile courts.

• Compare and contrast three different types of evaluations the forensic psychology professional is asked to perform in juvenile courts.

Your paper should rely upon at least three sources from additional professional literature; the sources must be cited in APA format. Professional literature may include relevant textbooks, peer-reviewed journal articles, and websites created by professional organizations, agencies, or institutions (.edu, .org, and .gov).

Assignment 3: Case Study Analysis

Case Study: Guilty or Not Guilty: Does It Matter?

Dr. Jennifer Bauer has been asked by the defense attorney to assist in jury selection. The defendant is a battered wife who has been accused of murdering her abusive husband one night when he was drunk and became verbally abusive.

The defense attorney has also hired a prominent psychiatrist who has suggested that the defense attorney use the battered woman syndrome as a defense strategy. Dr. Bauer thinks that this is a poor decision since the syndrome evidence has not been very successful in court cases, and she believes that the argument would be more successful using posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a defense.

However, she was hired to assist in jury selection and not to help develop the defense strategy. Additionally, the psychiatrist retained by the attorney has developed a career arguing the syndrome evidence in courts and is not very receptive to criticism.

Dr. Bauer reads through the discovery materials, including the evidence provided by the defense and the prosecution. Despite her empathy for battered women, Dr. Bauer feels that the weak defense strategy along with the strong evidence against the defendant will lead to a guilty verdict for the defendant.

During the voir dire process, Dr. Bauer decides that many of the potential jurors are not sympathetic toward the defendant. She decides that the only possibility is to hope for a mistrial by employing the poison pill strategy. She hopes to select jurors whose strong personality differences make them clash so much during the deliberations that they are unable to come to a unanimous verdict.

Tasks:

In a minimum of 250 words, analyze the case study and address the following:

• How should Dr. Bauer proceed? Provide reasons to support your answer.

• Should she offer her advice regarding the syndrome evidence? Why or why not?

• Should she pursue the poison pill strategy? Why or why not?

Assignment 2: Court Standards

Tasks:

Explore court standards, rules, and regulations and the differences among them for selecting and approving professional witnesses and determining admissibility of expert testimony. Use resources from professional literature and conduct research to support your responses. Professional literature may include relevant textbooks; peer-reviewed journal articles; and websites created by professional organizations, agencies, or institutions (.edu, .org, and .gov).

Write a 3- to 4-page paper, including the following:

• What standards are used by courts to determine who is an expert witness?

• What standards are used by courts to determine the admissibility of expert testimony?

• What are the differences between standards for sentencing, commitment, and competencies in civil and criminal courts?