Discussion Question 1
Forensic Science is a field that is closely related to the field of law. Based on this semester’s readings, research, academic activities and interaction with other students concerning this discipline, forensic psychology has played a major role in assisting me in understanding the basic tenets required in my field of career. One of the most essential achievements that forensic psychology has played in achieving this is creating a firm, understandable and ascertained bridge between forensic psychology and the field of law.
My desired career is Criminal Justice, and forensic science has played a major role to create a link between psychology and criminal law. In order to be effective in administering justice and understanding both the civil and criminal wrongs, it is necessary for one to have an insightful understanding of the criminal or suspect’s psychological set up. This will play a major role in understanding the criminals or suspects’ behavior (which in this case might include their criminal operations and activities), and this is necessary, in effective and fair administration of justice, and sentencing. Forensic psychology is, therefore, a major booster and has bridged link between criminology and psychology.
Consequently, this semester’s reading has boosted my love, appreciation and acknowledgement for Forensic Science as a course, and also as a viable career. Considering the fact that I have been able to understand various aspects and basic information concerning Forensic Science as a career and a field of study, my desire to pursue the field has been catapulted to higher levels.
Discussion Question 2
Having critically looked at the chapter on Sex Offenders by Bartol & Bartol, more questions than answers have been aroused, and which creates avenues for future research in the field, in order to attain untailored justice. In order to justice to be fully and fairly implemented in sexual offense cases, it is necessary for the law to carry out a reliable risk assessment profile on the offender (Bartol & Bartol, 2008). However, carrying out a reliable risk assessment profile is one of the aspects that have been put in question, on whether they are ethically right or wrong, and how they will affect the offender’s psychological self, considering the fact that personality characteristics are the main tenets to be used in determining the same. In this case, therefore, since it is possible for forensic psychology to identify the wrong characteristics based on the offender’s behavior, faulty outcomes might be recorded, leading to faulty outcomes. This will impair justice in this case.
Discussion Question 3
According to Bartol & Bartol, pedophilia is one of the cases that result from various psychological conditions, and some of these include withdrawal syndromes, as well as poor social interactions. One of the most essential things to note concerning personality, which is one of the factors that considerably contribute to the development and adoption of pedophilia, is the fact that personality is developed at childhood and adolescent stages. According to Bartol & Bartol, for example, adolescence is the period whereby one’s character and personality is fairly and largely build and developed, considering the fact5 that his is the period whereby one’s body produces hormones that affect and develops one’s moods and opinions, which highly contributes to character development. Lack of interaction and social growth at this point is, therefore, one of the factors that might lead to poor social growth, leading to outcomes such as withdrawal syndromes and pedophilia (Bartol & Bartol, 2008).
References
Bartol, C. R., & Bartol, A. M. (2008). Introduction to forensic psychology: Research and application. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.
