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2011/2 Provisional Module Catalogue - UNDER CONSTRUCTION & SUBJECT TO CHANGE
 Module Code: PSY3083 Module Title: THE PSYCHOLOGY OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR
Module Provider: Psychology Short Name: PSY3083
Level: HE3 Module Co-ordinator: O'NEILL D Mr (Psychology)
Number of credits: 15 Number of ECTS credits: 7.5
 
Module Availability
Semester 1.
Assessment Pattern

1) 2000 word essay [25% weighting]
2) 90 minute exam [75% weighting]

Students must achieve 40% in each component of assessment.
Module Overview
Forensic psychology is a dynamic, applied field, focussed on the application of psychological theories and methods to understanding criminal behaviour and its handling by the legal system. Much work has been done on the causal factors and processes that drive offending behaviour, but this remains an area rich in debate. Similarly, examinations of the strategies used to reduce risk of offending has produced important findings about current practice and alternative solutions. This module will cover the primary topics in this area, examining a range of criminal behaviours from sexual offending to terrorism. It will additionally explore some strategies used in investigative practice and offender rehabilitation to determine their validity and utility.
Prerequisites/Co-requisites
N/A
Module Aims
This module will provide an introduction to the contributions that psychology has made in furthering our understanding of criminal behaviour. The module will address a broad range of theories and research in relation to the causes, detection and reduction of criminal behaviour. The module will equip you with a comprehensive knowledge and critical understanding of the research and debates in some key areas relating to the intersection between psychology and the criminal justice system. Ultimately, it will provide you with an appreciation of how psychological theories and principles can be applied in a practical arena.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the module, you should:
  • have a broad understanding of the diverse criminogenic factors involved in offending behaviour
  • be aware of the utility of psychological theories of criminality and how psychological research can inform the investigative strategies utilised by the police and the criminal justice system as a whole
  • be able to identify and discuss possible limitations of these theories and to develop some alternative suggestions
  • be able to describe and comment upon issues regarding offender rehabilitation and the role that the criminal justice system and specifically the prison system play in this recognise some of the broader social and ideological issues that influence current practice in forensic psychology and the criminal justice system itself
Module Content
Week
Topic
1
Introduction: Theories of Crime
2
Offender Profiling
3
Interviewing Offenders
4
Sexual Offending: Rape & Sexual Assault
5
Sexual Offending: Child Sexual Abuse
6
Violent Offending
7
Personality Disorder & Crime
8
Prisons & Offender Rehabilitation
9
Psychology of Terrorism
10
Young Offenders
11
Revision Session
Methods of Teaching/Learning
This module will run across one semester and will comprise a series of ten two-hour lectures and one revision session. The lectures will include the use of varied multimedia, the running of in-class assignments with real-world data, and the encouraging of frequent group discussions. Students are expected to attend all lectures and to participate actively in all in-class tasks. Additionally, a ULearn discussion board will be used to foster continued engagement and learning beyond the lecture hall setting.
Selected Texts/Journals
None of the text books in the field of investigative and criminal psychology will cover all topics in equal depth. At this level, supplementary reading is required and expected. Where possible, textbooks that are available electronically via the library website will be recommended so as to ensure ease of access for all students. Should you wish to purchase a text book however, the following suggestions provide good entry level overviews of a number of topics covered in this module:

Alison, L. (2005). The forensic psychologist's casebook: Psychological profiling and criminal investigation. Cullompton, Devon: Willan. (Electronic copy available)
Blackburn, R. (1993). The psychology of criminal conduct: Theory, research and practice. Chichester: Wiley. [Electronic copy available]
Brown, J. M., & Campbell, E. A. (2010). The Cambridge handbook of forensic psychology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Bull, R., Valentine, T., & Williamson, T. (Eds.). (2009). Handbook of psychology of investigative interviewing: Current developments and future directions. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell. [Electronic copy available]
Davies, G., Hollin, C., & Bull., R. (2008). Forensic psychology. Chichester: Wiley & Sons.
Gudjonsson, G., & Haward, L. R. C. (1998). Forensic psychology: A guide to practice. London: Routledge.
Hollin, C. R. (1992). Criminal behaviour: A psychological approach to explanation and prevention. London: Falmer Press. [Electronic copy available]
Hollin, C. R. (Ed.). (2004). The essential handbook of offender assessment and treatment. Chichester: Wiley. (Electronic copy available)
McGuire, J. (2004). Understanding psychology and crime: Perspectives on theory and action. Maidenhead: Open University Press. [Electronic copy available]
Towl, G. J. & Crighton, D. A. (Eds.). (2010). Forensic psychology. Chichester: BPS Blackwell. [Electronic copy available]
Towl, G. J., Farrington, D. P., Crighton, D., & Hughes, G. (Eds.). (2008). Dictionary of forensic psychology. Cullompton: Willan. [Electronic copy available]
 
 
Students are also expected to consult original journal articles in the field. Useful journals available in the University of Surrey’s library (and online) include:
·         Legal and Criminological Psychology
·         Psychology Crime and Law
·         Behavioral Sciences and the Law
·         Journal of Interpersonal Violence
·         Law and Human Behavior
·         Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology
·         Applied Psychology in Criminal Justice
 
Suggested Supplementary Articles (further topic-specific articles will be recommended in-class):
 
Beck, J.C. (2010). Dangerous severe personality disorder: The controversy continues. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 28 (2), 277-288.
Cleckley, H. (1988). The mask of sanity: An attempt to clarify some issues about the so-called psychopathic personality (5th ed.). Retrieved November 11, 2010 from http://www.cassiopaea.org/cass/sanity_1.pdf
DePaulo, B., Lindsay, J., Malone, B., Muhlenbruck, L., Charlton, K., & Cooper, H. (2003). Cues to deception. Psychological Bulletin, 129(1), 74-118.
Canter, D.V., & Wentink, N. (2004). An empirical test of Holmes and Holmes’s serial murder typology. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 31, 489-515.
Carabellese, F., Maniglio, R., Greco, O., Catanesi, R. (2011). The role of fantasy in a serial sexual offender: A brief review of the literature and a case report. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 56(1), 256–260.
Kelly, L., Lovett, J., & Regan, L. (2005). A gap or a chasm? Attrition in reported rape cases. London: Home Office.
McGuire, J. (2002). Criminal sanctions versus psychologically-based interventions with offenders: A comparative empirical analysis. Psychology, Crime & Law, 8, 183-208.
Canter, D.V., Alison, L.J., Alison, E., & Wentink, N. (2004). The organized/disorganized typology of serial murder: Myth or model? Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 10, 293-320.
Horgan, H. (2008). From profiles to pathways and roots to routes: Perspectives from psychology on radicalization into terrorism. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 618, 80-94.
 
 
Useful Resources:
BPS Website on Forensic Psychology
 
Regularly Updated Forensic Psychology Blog
Last Updated
6th May 2011.