Psychology:
Psychology:
The first issue in the relation to the field of forensic psychology in which will be discussed is that of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Before discussing the relationship between PTSD and the field of forensic psychology, it is crucial to have an understanding as to what exactly Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is. Taken from the Canadian Mental health Association Resource, it is a mental illness which “involves exposure to trauma involving death or the threat of death, serious injury, or sexual violence. Something is traumatic when it is very frightening, overwhelming and causes a lot of distress” (Canadian Mental Health Association, 2015).
It is quite prevalent that trauma is quite often unexpected and many feel simply powerless before it whether it is to change it, or to stop it. It is quite prevalent that PTSD causes intrusive symptoms which are usually subject to a re-exploration or common familiarities of the traumatic event. Other prevalent symptoms in association with the illness include vivid nightmares, uniform recollections, flashbacks, or “thoughts of the event that seem to come from nowhere” (Canadian Mental Health Association, 2015). It is quite prevalent that victims of such illness are often avoiding as much as possible the confrontation or reminder of the particular event, by all means (Canadian Mental Health Association, 2015).
When speaking of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as an issue concerning forensic psychology, it can primarily be said that over the past several decades the definition of the diagnosis PTSD has progressively and sequentially changed over time (Campbell, T. W., Dr. Ph.D., ABPP., 2011). It is quite obvious that a disorder as such necessitates exposure to a particular stressful event, however it is more so and ongoing question of, what exactly a lawful stressful event experience consists of? For example in the 1987 publication of The Diagnostic
and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association, states that a stressful event can be described as “outside the range of normal experience and that would be markedly distressing to almost anyone” (Campbell, T. W., Dr. Ph.D., ABPP., 2011). In the 1994 edition of DSM, it defines a traumatic or stressful event as one in which “both of the following were present: “(1) the person experienced, witnessed, or was confronted with an event or events that involved actual threat or threatened death or serious injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of self or others, (2) the person's response involved intense fear, helplessness, or horror” (Campbell, T. W., Dr. Ph.D., ABPP., 2011).
It was in the year 1980 where the mental illness became formally and diagnostically recognized as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Third Edition (DSM-III, 1980). However over a span of approximately thirty-five years in the making, it is equivocal that the diagnosis of PTSD has undergone numerous amounts of definitional problems and revisions (Campbell, T. W., Dr. Ph.D., ABPP., 2011).
According to Stéphane Audoin-Rouzeau and Annette Becker, “The correlations between combat and PTSD are undeniable. One-tenth of mobilized American men were hospitalized for mental disturbances between 1942 and 1945, and, after thirty-five days of uninterrupted combat, 98% of them manifested psychiatric disturbances in varying degrees” (Audoin-Rouzeau & Becker, 2000). As a matter of fact, an exquisite amount of published and available research concerning PTSD has been based on studies which were completed on veterans of the Vietnam War (Audoin-Rouzeau & Becker, 2000). Furthermore, a study that what based solely on personal letters from soldiers involved in the 18th-century Prussian Army, concluded that there is strong contingency in which these particular combatants may have suffered from PTSD (Mobius,
2015).
Ultimately after all speculations have been cast, it can be concluded that Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder has continuously become more positively segregated as a merited definitional term since 1980. It is adequately more restricted by specific criteria within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, just as it should be. An issue in which still rises however from this drastic transition of these many years is that many psychiatrists and psychologists are unaware of the criteria changes, whilst relying solely on the more liberalized 1987 PTSD criteria version (Campbell, T. W., Dr. Ph.D., ABPP., 2011).
The second case in relation to the field of forensic psychology is recognized internationally as one of the most famous forensic psychology cases in history. It can be said that throughout history there have been abounding amounts of famous criminal cases in which have been successfully solved due to the use of forensic psychology/the science of forensic psychology. One of such cases is that of Machine Gun Kelly (Serkadis, 2014).
George Kelly who was also known as “Machine Gun Kelly” was a famous criminal during the days of prohibition. He was involved in many crimes throughout his illicit career, such as kidnapping, bootlegging, and armed robbery (Serkadis, 2014). It was in the summertime of 1933 when machine gun Kelly and an accomplice kidnapped a man known as Charles Urschel. Urschel was an oil magnate who lived in Oklahoma City. It was after a week in which he kidnappers let Urschel go contentedly injury-free, however his freedom was demanded at an unbelievable cost; the largest ransom in history (Serkadis, 2014).
Fortunately for his own sake, Urschel was an intelligent man and took note of almost everything that occurred during his dreadful ordeal, as he successfully provided the police
It is crucial to understand the severity of this case and its relation to forensic psychology and the effects/implications that have deemed these relations, in accordance to many professionals and the general society, as unconditionally successfully (FBI, U.S. government, U.S. Department of Justice, 2010). Firstly, if it had not been for Mr. Urschel’s prodigious memory, it would not have allowed forensic professionals and investigators to come to the ultimate conclusion that the incident was held and taken place at the residence of the gunman’s relative. However aside from Urschel’s immense productivity, it is still crucial to understand that through constant interviews and inquests with the forensic professionals on the case, it was this apprehension that ultimately led the forensic psychologists directly to the location and fingerprints of the convicted criminal (FBI, U.S. government, U.S. Department of Justice, 2010). One must understand the severity and collaboration in which testimony from forensic psychologist’s impacts a criminal case. In addition it is prevalent that these forensic professionals
have already been critically and acutely instrumental through a large number of cases up to this very day in age.
When considering Forensic Psychology and its lengthy history, it can be said that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (now known as the FBI) has been a demanding contributor since the onset (FBI, U.S. government, U.S. Department of Justice, 2010). “Whether talking about the Behavioral Analysis Unit, Behavioral Science Unit, or any of the other specialized units, the FBI is the central governmental agency involved (FBI, U.S. government, U.S. Department of Justice, 2010). In the machine Gun Kelly case, it was the bills of money used in the ransom for Urschel’s immediate release from hostage, which contained “traceable serial records” that made it directly conceivable for the Center Bureau of Investigation (the FBI) to commence their own national search for they now suspected George R. Kelly (FBI, U.S. government, U.S. Department of Justice, 2010).
Conclusively a total of twenty-one individuals were convicted in the Kelly-case, including George Kelly. The sentences in which were imposed included six life sentences and other sentences totaling 58 years, two months, and three days (FBI, U.S. government, U.S. Department of Justice, 2010). George Kelly died in the Federal Penitentiary due to a massive heart attack on the exact same day as his birth, 59 years later, on July 18, 1954 in Leavenworth, Kansas. During Kelly’s time in Alcatraz he was given the nickname “Pop Gun Kelly” in reference to a former prisoner, “to the fact that Kelly was a model prisoner and was nowhere near the tough, brutal gangster his wife made him out to be” (FBI, U.S. government, U.S. Department of Justice, 2010). He is buried at a Cemetery in Texas, with a small headstone reading “George B. Kelley 1954” (FBI, U.S. government, U.S. Department of Justice, 2010).
References:
C. (2015). Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) - Canadian Mental Health Association. Retrieved February 05, 2016, from: https://www.cmha.ca/mental_health/post-traumatic- stress-disorder/
Campbell, T. W., Dr. Ph.D., ABPP. (2011). Forensic Psychology Issues - Clinical Psychologists Psychiatrists - Expert Testimony. Retrieved February 05, 2016, from http://www.campsych.com/
FBI, U.S. government, U.S. Department of Justice. (2010). George “Machine Gun” Kelly. Retrieved February 09, 2016, from https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/history/famous- cases/machine-gun-kelly
Mobius, Sascha (2015). "Im Kugelhagel der Musketen". Damals (in German). Vol. 47 no. 12. pp. 64–69. Retrieved February 07, 2016.
Serkadis. (2014, October 11). Some of the Most Famous Forensic Psychology Cases in History. Retrieved February 09, 2016. from: http://serkadis.net/index/501544
Stephane Audoin-Rouzeau & Annette Becker. (2000).World War One – A New Kind of War; Part II, From 14 – 18 Understanding the Great War. Hill & Wang. Press.
