Psychology of Justice

Code:

P845

Acronym:

PJ

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Psychology

Instance: 2013/2014 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Psychology
Course/CS Responsible:	Integrated Master Psychology

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MIPSI	37	Official Curricular Structure	4	-	6	54	162
		Official Curricular Structure 2012	4	-	6	54	162

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

- Acquire in-depth knowledge within the areas of Forensic Psychology, Psychology of Justice, Witness Psychology, among others.

- Acquire in-depth knowledge about the relationship between psychology and the justice system.

- Develop knowledge about the Portuguese Justice System and compare it with other justice and penal systems.

- Acquire in-depth knowledge about forensic psychological assessment/expertises.

-To understand the role of the psychologist within the Justice System and to develop skills in the domain of psychological intervention within the various sub-systems of the justice system (e.g., forensic psychological assessment, intervention in courts, prisons, reeducation facilities, rehabilitation, combating social exclusion, child welfare system).

Learning outcomes and competences

At the end of the semester students should: 

- Acquire the most important theoretical and practical knowledges necessary to understand de origin, development and actual practices of the psychologist in the justice system.

- Have the necessary knowledges and skills to do psychological forensic expertises in different domains.

- Understand the role of the psychologist within the Justice System and to develop basic skills in the domain of psychological intervention within the various sub-systems of the justice system (e.g., forensic psychological assessment, intervention in courts, prisons, reeducation facilities, rehabilitation, combating social exclusion, child welfare system).

Working method

Presencial

Program

- Contributions of Psychology to the Justice System.

- Psychology of Justice, Forensic Psychology, Criminal Psychology, Witness Psychology and Criminal Investigation.

- The role of the psychologist in the Justice System.

- The Portuguese legal and penal system.

- The specific role of the psychologist in the Courts, Police and Investigative Psychology/Contributions of Psychology to Criminal Investigation.

- The contact with the justice system and the secondary victimization processes. - Judicial decision making and the contributions of the Forensic Psychology. Extralegal variables that influence judicial decision.

- Emotions, memory and testimony, emotions and judgment.

- The specific role of the psychologist in Courts, Police and Criminal Investigation, including Forensic Psychological Assessment, Intervention with Perpetrators and Psychological Support to victims in contact with the judicial system, both children and adults.

Mandatory literature

Bartol Curt R.; Criminal behavior. ISBN: 0-13-192766-3
Brewer, N. & Williams, K. D. (2005, Eds.); Psychology and law. An empirical perspective., New York: The Guilford Press., 2005
Ceci, S. & Hembrooke, H. (Eds., 2001).; Expert Witness in Child Abuse Cases. What Can and Should be Said in Court., Washington: APA., 2001
Eisen, M.L.; Quas, J.A. & Goodman, G.S. (Eds., 2002).; Memory and Suggestibility in the Forensic Interview., New Jersey: Laurence Erlbaum., 2002
Fonseca António Castro 070; Psicologia forense. ISBN: 972-40-2853-4
Foucault Michel; Surveiller et punir. ISBN: 2-07-072968-0
Goldstein, A. M. (2007).; Forensic psychology: Emerging topics and expanding roles., New York: Wiley , 2007
Hess Allen K. 340; The^handbook of forensic psychology. ISBN: 0-471-17771-7
Machado. C. & Gonçalves, R.A. (Coord., 2005).; Psicologia Forense., Coimbra: Quarteto Editora., 2005
Matos, M., Gonçalves, R. & Machado, C. (Eds., 2011). ; Manual de Psicologia Forense., Braga: Ed. Psiquilibrios., 2011
Roesch, R.; Hart, S. & Ogloff, J. (Eds, 1999),; Psychology and Law. The State of the Discipline., New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Press, 1999
Santos Celina Paula Manita; Auto-organização psicológica e transgressão
Shapiro David L.; Forensic psychological assessment. ISBN: 0-205-12521-2
Walker, L.E. & Shapiro, D.L. (2003).; Introduction to Forensic Psychology. Clinical and Social Perspectives, New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Press., 2003
Zilboorg Gregory; The^psychology of the criminal act and punishment

Complementary Bibliography

Ceci, S. & Hembrooke, H. (Eds, 2001).; Expert Witness in Child Abuse Cases. What Can and Should be Said in Court., Washington: American Psychological Association., 2001
Debuyst Christian 300; Dangerosité et justice pénale. ISBN: 2-88049-005-7
Foucault Michel; Moi, Pierre Rivière, ayant égorgé ma mère, ma soeur et mon frère.... ISBN: 2-07-028895-1
Poole, D. & Lamb, M. (1998); Investigative Interviews of Children. A guide for helping professionals., Washington: American Psychological Association., 1998
Shapiro David L.; Criminal responsibility evaluations. ISBN: 1-56887-046-9

Teaching methods and learning activities

- Theoretical classes.

- Theoretical-practical classes with active participation of students, individually and in groups.

- Some classes with invited lecturers - professionals within the fields of Law, Police and Criminal Investigation, Forensic Psychology, Social Security, etc. – in order to enrich students’ understanding of their professional activity.

- Elaboration and discussion of a practical assignment carried out by the students individually - attendance of a set of trials in a Portuguese Court and presentation of a written paper about this experience (a critical analysis).

- Independent study, including research and literature search, in order to facilitate the assimilation of contents of the Psychology-Justice relationship and the Psychologist’s role in the judicial system.

- Tutorial supervision of theoretical and practical assignments carried out by students, as well as providing the necessary conditions to develop independent study/work.

keywords

Social sciences > Psychological sciences > Psychology
Social sciences > Criminology

Evaluation Type

Evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Exame	50,00
Trabalho de campo	40,00
Trabalho escrito	10,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	40,00
Frequência das aulas	52,00
Trabalho de campo	40,00
Total:	132,00

Eligibility for exams

- Students’ class attendance will be based on the control of the presence sheet for each class, according to each student’s signature. - Students must attend 2/3 of the total number of classes taught. In exceptional cases, legally foreseen, the traditional class attendance may be replaced by the submission of a research assignment. - In accordance with the regulation of evaluation (cf. art. 9), students must have a minimum grade of 8 points in the practical work, as well as on the final written exam. The failure to achieve the minimum score of 8 points implies non approval in the discipline and the obligation to repeat the evaluation. - In the case of non-submission of the practical work by the deadline established at the beginning of the semester, the student will not be admitted to the final exam and, therefore, cannot obtain final approval in the discipline.

Calculation formula of final grade

Final grade on a 0-20 scale:

- 50% of the grade is based on the final exam classification;

- 50% of the grade is based on a practical assignments carried out by the student throughout the semester: attendance of a set of trials in a Portuguese Court and presentation of a written paper about this experience (a critical analysis).

Examinations or Special Assignments

In the legally established situations in which students cannot participate in the practical classes and/or complete the written exam, they must be replaced by a written work on a subject established with the teacher early in the semester.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

In exceptional cases, foreseen in the regulations or in cases duly justified and accepted as valid by the School competent committees, students may be evaluated outside the usual context and regular calendar, through the completion of a written project with a content similar to what other students have done to assess the practical component (weighing 50% in the final grade) and an oral or written test on the contents of the discipline (weighing 50% in the final grade).

In these cases, the student should contact the teacher responsible for the discipline at the beginning of the semester to define the rules and methodologies of the alternative evaluation.

Classification improvement

There is a possibility of repeating the final written examination (and only the final written examination) in the proceeding exam period.

"Os estudantes podem requerer uma prova de melhoria de classificação uma única vez por disciplina, numa das duas épocas, normal ou de recurso, imediatamente subsequentes àquela em que obtiveram aprovação e em que a disciplina tenha prova de avaliação prevista" (Artigo 11.°, ponto 1. do “Regulamento dos princípios a observar na avaliação dos discentes da Universidade do Porto e normas específicas a aplicar nos cursos da FPCE”).