Report of the Task Force on the Role of Psychology in the Criminal Justice System.

The American Psychological Association's Board of Social and Ethical Responsibility for Psychology (BSERP) commissioned a Task Force on the Role of Psychology in the Criminal Justice System to examine the ethical dilemmas faced by psychologists working with police, court, correctional, and juvenile justice agencies. In this final report, the task force makes 10 recommendations regarding the ethical practice of psychology in these areas. Both ethical issues that the criminal justice system creates for psychologists and those that psychologists create for the criminal justice system are addressed. Under the former are issues relating to the psychologist's loyalty (e.g., confidentiality) and competence (e.g., the effectiveness of services). The most controversial issue faced by the criminal justice system is the use of psychologists as decision makers in the confinement and release of individual offenders (e.g., indeterminate sentences). (61 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Controversy concerning the criminal justice system and its implications for the role of mental health workers.

Examines the 2 major philosophies of treatment for criminal behavior: (a) the view that criminal behavior is a symptom of psychological disturbance and should be treated with psychotherapy rather than imprisonment (i.e., treat the man rather than the act); and (b) the refutation of this view, which suggests that therapeutic treatment may be a violation of individual rights and may be of more harm than incarceration in conventional prison facilities (i.e., treat the deed rather than the man). The role of the mental health worker in the criminal justice system as a whole, in a therapeutically-oriented system, in the traditional prison setting, and in partial or post-release settings is discussed. Issues involved in testifying in court or working in mandatory treatment programs are presented, and research into effective treatment procedures is suggested using personnel from outside correctional settings. Implications for training are considered. (28 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mental health consultation and psychology internship training.

Psychology interns trained in American Psychological Association-approved internship programs are expected to demonstrate an intermediate to advanced level of skill in mental health consultation. Where do students learn the skills to consult with colleagues, other professionals, or the public? This article describes a 1-year, 2-phase training experience in consultation at a university mental health service. The program is theory based, sequential, and builds over the course of the internship. Discussion underscores the positive impact of the training and reviews potential problems that may emerge. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Rehabilitating criminal justice policy and practice.

For over 30 years, criminal justice policy has been dominated by a “get tough” approach to offenders. Increasing punitive measures have failed to reduce criminal recidivism and instead have led to a rapidly growing correctional system that has strained government budgets. The inability of reliance on official punishment to deter crime is understandable within the context of the psychology of human conduct. However, this knowledge was largely ignored in the quest for harsher punishment. A better option for dealing with crime is to place greater effort on the rehabilitation of offenders. In particular, programs that adhere to the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) model have been shown to reduce offender recidivism by up to 35%. The model describes: a) who should receive services (moderate and higher risk cases), b) the appropriate targets for rehabilitation services (criminogenic needs), and c) the powerful influence strategies for reducing criminal behavior (cognitive social learning). Although the RNR model is well known in the correctional field it is less well known, but equally relevant, for forensic, clinical, and counseling psychology. The paper summarizes the empirical base to RNR along with implications for research, policy, and practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Utilization and training of psychologists for the criminal justice system.

A survey of manpower patterns in 31 state correctional systems indicates that large numbers of professional mental health workers are needed to meet standards set by corrections administrators. The approaches used by various universities to train psychologists for work in criminal justice are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychology, attitude shifts, and prison growth.

Comments on the article by C. Haney and P. Zimbardo (see record 1998-04417-001) regarding shifts in criminal justice and correctional policies in the past 25 yrs. The author discusses the shift from environmental situations to current person-centered, trait-fixated paradigms related to criminal justice. The author believes that, to be effective, psychologists should apply what is known about behavior change at the individual level while examining prison environments and testing them against rational alternatives. Furthermore, psychologists should not apply research and intervention skills only to vulnerable institutions and their residences and staff; they must also examine current policies that may actually contribute to collective harm. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The past and future of U.S. prison policy. Twenty-five years after the Stanford prison experiment

In this article, the authors reflect on the lessons of their Stanford Prison Experiment, some 25 years after conducting it. They review the quarter century of change in criminal justice and correctional policies that has transpired since the Stanford Prison Experiment and then develop a series of reform-oriented proposals drawn from this and related studies on the power of social situations and institutional settings that can be applied to the current crisis in American corrections.     

Prisoners as patients. The experience of delivering mental health nursing care in an Australian prison

Correctional or prison mental health nursing is a highly specialized area of practice that has undergone substantive role development in recent years. However, little research has explored aspects of prison-based nursing practice or practice arrangements. The experience of delivering mental health nursing care in prison can be disempowering, resulting in feelings of frustration, isolation, and stigma. In developed nations, prison mental health nurses face the rewarding challenge of gaining greater recognition for the specialized nature of their practice and their key role in the correctional and criminal justice continuum.     

Training professional psychologists in school-based consultation: What the syllabi suggest.

This article reports the findings from consultation syllabi from 25 American Psychological Association-approved school psychology programs (40% response rate). Most responding programs offered 1 consultation course and many programs' syllabi stated expecting students to conduct 1 consultation case. The analysis showed most syllabi listed training in multiple models of consultation, with almost all mentioning the problem-solving model. Almost all syllabi listed training in treatment, but fewer than half suggested that students would learn about the use of consultation to promote prevention. Most programs' syllabi mentioned considering others' culture in consultation, whereas fewer than half mentioned considering the impact of the consultant's culture in consultation relationships and even fewer mentioned social justice. The discussion addresses the need for a better understanding of school-based consultation preservice training, consultation training in a diverse and inequitable world, and how practitioners' cognitive appraisals of consultation services could inform school-based consultation training. Considerations for consultation syllabi design are given. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Issues in the training of school psychologists in program evaluation.

Program evaluation is becoming increasingly important to all professional psychologists, including school psychologists. Despite a burgeoning of information about program evaluation principles, little attention has been given to program evaluation training, especially the utility of that training for program decision making. Five issues pertinent to the training of school psychologists in program evaluation are discussed: need for training, extent of training, goals of training, methods of training, and evaluation of training experiences. The material presented is based on the authors' experiences in program evaluation training at the Rutgers School Psychology Training Program. (43 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Rural Hawai'i Behavioral Health Program: Increasing access to primary care behavioral health for native Hawaiians in rural settings.

Health care access issues present significant challenges for rural populations and health providers. Psychology can support improved access and quality of rural health services through the development of integrated behavior health programs within primary care settings. This article reviews a clinical training and service delivery program, the Rural Hawai'i Behavioral Health Program, which has evolved in response to the pressing health needs of Native Hawaiians in rural communities. Native Hawaiian cultural factors and components of the primary care model that have supported the development of this program will be reviewed. Program expansion, sustainability, and treatment efficacy research will be discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The role and relevance of the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised in court: A case law survey of U.S. courts (1991-2004).

The Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R; R. D. Hare, 1991, 2003) is the most empirically validated instrument for measuring psychopathy in correctional and forensic psychiatric populations. The PCL-R's predictive utility with criminal justice populations has led to its frequent use by clinicians conducting forensic assessments in criminal and sexually violent predator (SVP) cases. Despite its apparent wide acceptance in U.S. courts, little is known about how often the PCL-R is being introduced, the types of cases in which it is being used, and whether claims made in court regarding psychopathy are empirically defensible and/or relevant to the question at hand. This project documents some uses of the PCL-R in U.S. courts from 1991 through 2004 by year, jurisdiction, type of evaluation, and party. The results suggest that the PCL-R is being used by expert witnesses with increasing regularity across U.S. jurisdictions, primarily to assess risk of future violence. A review of 3 recent cases is also provided that illustrates concerns about the validity of the PCL-R for certain types of legal questions that may arise in criminal and SVP trials. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Multilevel school consultation training: Preliminary program evaluation.

Recommends the acquisition of consultation skills for school psychologists but notes that this is a neglected area in the majority of training programs. To meet the need for training prototypes, a multilevel consultation training sequence with matched field experiences graduated by learning goals and previous skill development is proposed. Specifically, Level 1 of the consultation program and its matched field experience, consultation with student teachers, is evaluated as a viable means within a university setting by which novice consultants can practice diverse consultation skills. Evaluation data from 12 consultation students (doctoral candidates), student teachers, and student teaching supervisors support the effectiveness of the program for both consultants and consultees. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effects of direct training and treatment integrity on treatment outcomes in school consultation.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 17(2) of School Psychology Quarterly (see record 2008-04568-001). The current study attempts to expand the empirical consultation research base by examining the effects of direct and indirect consultee training methods on treatment integrity and treatment outcomes. A multiple baseline design across consultation dyads was used to investigate the influence of these variables. The results suggest that direct consultee training led to higher treatment integrity. In addition, results for 3 of 4 consultation cases support the hypothesis that treatments implemented with high integrity lead to successful outcomes.] The current study attempts to expand the empirical consultation research base by examining the effects of direct and indirect consultee training methods on treatment integrity and treatment outcomes. A multiple baseline design across consultation dyads was used to investigate the influence of these variables. The results suggest that direct consultee training led to higher treatment integrity. In addition, results for 3 of 4 consultation cases support the hypothesis that treatments implemented with high integrity lead to successful outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychology graduate student training in developmental disability: A Canadian survey.

Psychology graduate student training in developmental disability has received very little attention in North America, and no study has examined the state of training for clinical and counselling psychologists in Canada, despite their involvement in the controlled act of diagnosis and their use of standardised instruments used regularly with this population. This study sought to examine psychology graduate student training in the area of developmental disability across Canada. We invited students from every Canadian Psychological Association accredited Clinical Psychology, Clinical Neuropsychology, and Counselling Psychology program to participate in an online survey, distributed through university email lists. Three hundred and three students reported on the developmental disability content within their training and coursework, their perception of the adequacy of that content, and their ideas for program improvement. Results indicated that the majority of students believed it important to have training in developmental disability, yet struggled to obtain adequate didactic and experiential opportunities. The lack of sufficient training was most pronounced for students whose training was adult-focused, but was also high for students with a life span or child focus. We discuss different possibilities for increasing developmental disability training opportunities, including integrating its content within courses on assessment and diagnosis, psychotherapy, and ethics, and providing students with supervision from psychologists who work with this population. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reflections of a consulting counseling psychologist: Implications of the principles for education and training at the doctoral and postdoctoral level in consulting psychology for the practice of counseling psychology.

Examines issues related to the "Principles for Education and Training at the Doctoral and Postdoctoral Level in Consulting Psychology/Organizational" (R. L. Lowman et al, Education & Training Committee, see record 2003-04049-003), viewed from the perspective of a counseling psychologist whose primary work role is organizational consultation. The author traces the foundations of counseling psychology as they relate to organizational consulting practice. Comparisons are drawn between unifying themes and roles of counseling psychologists and consulting psychology domains and competencies. Each competency domain is examined with respect to its relative uniqueness or similarity of coverage in counseling psychology training and practice. Issues are raised about the relationship of individual counseling and individual consulting psychology. Suggestions are made about increased inclusion in training of vocational psychology theory, multicultural issues, supervised practicum experience, and role boundary work with respect to consultation and psychotherapy. The Principles are viewed as a resource to counseling psychologists, particularly in defining competencies and training needs related to enhancement of intergroup relations and organizational-wide structural interventions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Report of the Task Force on Psychology, Family Planning, and Population Policy.

Summarizes the activities of the American Psychological Association (APA) Task Force since its inception in 1969. Research trends are identified in various areas, e.g., personal and attitudinal variables related to fertility and variations in fertility. Steps are recommended to aid the development of the relatively new field of population research, including availability of graduate and undergraduate training, dissemination of research findings, participation in legislative and program consultation, and the establishment of an APA Division of Population Psychology. It is concluded that psychologists could make significant contributions to the multidisciplinary field of population. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An Investigation Into the Relationship Between Socially Desirable Responding and Offender Self-Report.

Recent research has shown that offenders high on impression management report fewer antisocial attitudes and less antisocial history and are objectively rated at less risk to commit a criminal offense. Further, impression management has been shown to be significantly and negatively related to criminal behavior. The present research investigated the hypothesis that this relationship may be due to the honest responding of offenders to items measuring relatively minor antisocial and criminal behaviors. The Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding (now the Paulhus Deception Scales; D. L. Paulhus, 1994, 1998) is shown to be confounded with criminal-risk variance, and it may lead to incorrect conclusions when used with correctional samples. The discussion centers on the relationship of socially desirable responding with other constructs important in the prediction of reoffending within a correctional population. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)