Forensic Psychology

Glendale Community College

Forensic Psychology - AJS255

Critical Thinking Essay

Introduction
I reviewed a video by Dr. Gramm Pyke of The Open University (Pyke, G.) and learned some interesting facts about forensic psychiatry. According to Dr. Pyke, forensic psychology is concerned with limited aspects of crime in a criminal investergative procedure related only to witness memory. Forensic psychologists assist police with witness memory by conducting interviews while accompanying police. Interviewing techniques based on psychological theories of memory sometimes involving hypnosis.

I learned from Dr. Pyke’s video that that hypnosis allows a witness to recall without interruption and to mentally imagine themselves back at the crime scene by imagining the weather the temperature, and the sights and smells of the scene. Dr. Pyke believes that our brains are like a computer, information goes in and is stored perfectly and can be retrieved perfectly. Forensic psychiatry techniques help a witness to remember otherwise forgotten occurrences, much like retrieving data from a computer system.

Conclusion
Forensic psychology is a fascinating field and offers a great benefit to law enforcement investigators. The forensic psychologist can assist officers in the field by riding-along and partnering with the police. Dr. Pyke stated in the video that riding along with officers would permit a rapid response that could immediately result in more criminal cases being solved. Having the forensic psychologist in the field also helps the psychologist too understand police-citizen communications and operations.

Reference;

Pyke, G. (May 22, 2009). Forensic psychiatry: 90 second lecture (4/10). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsXGwSZazwA&list=PLb4W-uzMgfqqInshlo6my706swrIfMNgj&index=12