Forensic Psychology In

Scotland

Stephen Evans

Chartered Forensic Psychology

Chair-Elect Division of Forensic Psychology Scotland of the BPS

Plan of Presentation

What is Forensic Psychology

Tasks Undertaken by Forensic

Psychologists

Training of Forensic Psychologists

Funding

Make up of Forensic Psychology in

Scotland

Definitions of Forensic Psychology Psychologists in the courtroom

• Gisli Gudjonsson and Lionel Haward

Literal meaning “of the law”

Applying Psychology in Criminological and Legal Context

• Applied Science and Rules of Knowledge

Practitioner Guidance• BPS Position Papers

• Standards of Proficiency – Practitioner Psychologists

Local idiosyncracies• “forensic skills” and “clinical skills”

• Forensic Clinical

Relationship between BPS

and HCPCBritish Psychological

Society

Established by Royal

Charter

Focus on promotion of

psychology (not

psychologists)

Not a Guild or Trade

Union

Maintains professional

standards and has a

code of conduct

Health and Care

Professions Council

Established by Act

Focus on protecting the

public

Regulates Standards of

Practice

Can strike people off

Forensic Psychologists

receive more complaints

than other divisions

A Short History of

Criminological

Interventions

A Short History of Risk

Assessment Research

Areas of Work – Prison Psychology

Largest group of Applied Forensic Psychologists

Most at Training Grades

Key Tasks• Managing treatment programs

• History of correctional interventions

• Evidence base for structured interventions

• Monitoring compliance

• Specialist Interventions

• Risk Assessment• Reports to Designated Lifer Tribunals, Reports to Parole

Boards, Reports to the Courts

• Mental Health and Suicide Prevention

• Managing Prison Regimes• Therapeutic Regimes, Advice to Governors

• Psychometric testing

Work in Youth Justice

Supporting Interventions• Multi-systemic therapy

• Treatment Foster-Care

Evaluating Interventions

Work in Secure Units

Working with Children’s Panel

Work in Youth Offending Teams

Risk Assessment

Working Under Social Work Legislation

Forensic Mental Health

Similar work to other correctional settings• Programs

• Risk Assessment

• Individualised Treatment

• Supporting Diagnosis

Supporting Regimes and Transition

Working under the Mental Health Act

Areas of Work – Investigative

Psychology

Currently very few psychologists employed

by the police primarily individual referrals

National Offender Management Service

(NOMS)• Behaviour Analyst

Profiling• Statistical Modelling – David Canter

• Clinical Insight

Support to the Courts

Psychology in the Courtroom• Analysis of jury decision making

• Analysis of lines of argument

• Analysis of fitness to plead

• Analysis of evidence

Expert Testimony• Advice on sentencing or disposal (Risk

Assessment)

• Advice on special measures

Research

Developing Risk Assessment• Standardising

• Evaluating Predictive Validity

Developing and Evaluating Treatment

Regimes• Evaluating recidivism and reconviction

• Evaluating behaviour and attitude change

Evaluating work environments and training

Training of Forensic

Psychologists Stage 1

Approved Masters

Degree

BPS or HPC

approved or both

Stage 2

Undertaking

Diploma for

Chartership and

Registration

Completing

Modules

Time limited

6 year Doctoral

level qualification

Variations in Training

Practitioner Doctorates

Currently in Birmingham University

• Being Developed in other Universities

Grandfathering (now closed)

Overseas qualification• Divisions only exist in the UK

• Language competencies

HCPC but not BPS route

Funding

First stage generally self-funded• In the past supported by Scottish Prison Service

• Some NHS support on local basis

Second Stage completed whilst employed

Further training generally funded by

employer

Realities of Training

Vast majority of Forensic Psychologists in

training

Large numbers may be timed out• But this may not affect careers

Enormous change in training over time

and in transition

Stage 1

No bottle neck

Large number of

providers

Stage 2.

Bottle neck

Limited

numbers of

training

places

Full-Grade

Employment.

Possible

future bottle

neck

Make up of Forensic

Psychologist in Scotland Around 60 Chartered Forensic Psychologists

Majority in Training but many have transitioned into

management posts

Majority in Scottish Prison Service

Employed in Private Sector Prisons

Handful in Forensic Mental Health (NHS and Third

Sector)

Youth Justice

• Secure Units

• Community Interventions

Research and Academia

Civil Service

Realities

Difficult career to pursue but rewarding

Realities of working with offenders Impact of threat

Impact of violence

Legal challenge

Public/Media scrutiny

Average rates of pay lower than other

areas of psychology

Conflict within the profession