Criminal Forensics Psychology Diploma

Course details

The Diploma in Criminal Forensic Psychology provides you with a comprehensive study on what criminal psychology is and how it is used in the study of crime and criminals. The course explores the process of criminal behavior and the criminal mind and asks why do some people commit crime?

Criminal psychology helps us to understand how criminals behave and help us to apply that to the Criminal Justice System (CJS). You will examine different types of psychological theories, and explain criminal behaviour in the context of "offenders" and the "general public", you will investigate these perceptions. The course is internationally recognised and awarded by CMI (UK).

You will examine the research methods actively used by professionals, including the ethical issues which are raised and will have the opportunity to apply these research methods to your own research project at the end of the course.

Learning Outcomes

• Explore investigative psychology, criminal profiling, scene analysis, and racial profiling.
• Explain role of forensic psychologists.
• Explain geographical profiling, and geographical mapping.
• Explain competencies of criminal suspects and risk assessment instruments.
• Determine psychological competence and differences in delinquencies.
• Investigate features of psychopaths and controversy over labelling offenders.
• Discuss mass murders and categories, plus, rape and associated demographics.
• Understand the psychological factors which impact upon eye-witness testimony
• Understand how criminal psychology can be useful to criminal investigations
• Investigate the types of offenders including male and female sex offenders.
• Recognise how forensic psychology can be assist criminals after conviction.
• Understand developmental risk factors related to criminal behaviour.

Progression:

Criminal Psychologists are used in low volume serious crimes such as serial murder, serial rape, and serial arson wherre their expert advice and opinion is required. Former graduates, now work in An Garda Siochana, Welfare Service, Psychologists/Counsellors, Youth Offender workers. Others have decided to pursue further study and are pursuing Degrees in Psychology, Counselling and Behavioual Sciences.

Modules

• Introduction to Criminal/Forensic Psychology
• Defining criminal psychology
• Differences between psychopaths and psychotics.
• The role of perversions.
• Criminal psychology in Ireland
• Roles of the criminal/forensic psychologist
• The Research Criminal Behaviours
• The scientific method of psychological research
• Ethical considerations of psychological research
• Designing a class profiling research
• Notorious Profiled Criminals
• Case studies of Serial killers including;
• Cayetano Santos Godino
• The Monster of Dusseldorf
• The Mad Bomber of New York
• The Acid Bath Murderer
• The Yorkshire Ripper
• Doctor Death
• The Dunblane Massacre
• Theories of crime
• Neuropsychology of criminal behaviour
• Intelligence and learning
• Crime addiction
• Biological theory of crime
• Social learning theory related to criminal behaviour
• Social construction

Week 4:

• How Criminal Psychology can be used in Criminal/Civil Investigations
• Investigating a crime
• Criminal Profiling.
• Profiling Inputs and Decision Process Models
• Homicide type and style, escalation, victimology.
• Crime Assessment Phase.
• Organized-disorganized offenders, Crime Scene Analysis.
• Modus operandi and/versus signature, posing and staging.
• Profiling by search and attack methods.
• The importance of crime location.
• Geographic profiling models.