This month’s book is Forensic Psychology by David Canter. Published in 2010 by Oxford University Press, this book is part of their popular ‘A Very Short Introduction’ series.
This book, as others in the series also do, gives a brief outline of what forensic psychology, who practises it plus show and when it is used. The author, in this book, makes sure to highlight the differences between the real practise of forensic psychology and what is show in fiction works such as film or crime novels.
A Quick Summary of the Book of the Month
The first chapter covers how this branch of psychology was created and why. The legal systems in Europe and the USA developed particularly during the 19th century, with the rise of organised police forces, there was increasing interest in the medical and legal aspects of law enforcement and imprisonment. With capital punishment and death penalties still being used as a form of punishment in these times, it was crucial that a fair trial was made. The development of forensic psychology would help both the defence and the prosecution, when applied to the case of the accused
The author goes on to describe and explain how and when a psychologist is employed, what they do to help ascertain whether a suspect is behaving in a recognised way, and to try and determine whether they would continue to offend. Although there is great interest in the idea of the serial killer, most forensic psychologists are not working in police stations or ‘out in the field’. The majority of their work is with repeat offenders in prison, trying to establish habits and repeated patterns of behaviour, with a view towards rehabilitation and possible release.
If you were wanting to write a paper on forensic psychology then this book is probably a good starting point, to understand the basics, but you would need to add rather academic reading to your research. However, if you are just wanting to have a basic understanding of who works in this area, what they do and what the outcomes are, then this is as good a starting point as any.
If you are interested in further Book of the Month reviews then keep following for Identity – Book of the Month and catch up with my latest post A New Beginning.
