Since the 1970s there has been a rising trend in South Africa for legal professionals to use the services of psychologists in legal proceedings. Psychologists have therefore increasingly started to appear as expert witnesses in court cases. Despite this, the field of forensic psychology in South Africa has yet to be defined and delineated. Currently there are no set guidelines or regulations regarding who is qualified to do forensic work, and no standards against which this work can be measured. Psychology in the courtroom has begun to receive a notorious reputation as a result of this. The Professional Board for Psychology (PBP) of the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) is investigating the creation of a new category of registration, that of Forensic Psychologist, partly in an effort to manage and address this problem. However, to date little, if any, research has been conducted on the scope of the work presented to the courts by psychologists appearing as expert witnesses. This research aimed to address this gap by analysing a sample of forensic psychological reports. The following aspects were investigated: <ul><li>Who (category or registration, length of registration, etc.) is doing sentencing reports;</li> <li>How (interviews, collateral information, psychometric tests, etc.) these reports are compiled; and</li> <li>Whether these reports measure up to professional expectations as well as adhere to the guidelines of the HPCSA.</li></ul> It is clear from the results of this research that some of the psychologists doing forensic assessments and writing reports do so in an idiosyncratic way. Besides the fact that no uniformity exists, forensic work is sometimes done by psychologists who are not qualified to do so in terms of their registration category and thus their scope of practice. The reports analysed did not always measure up to guidelines or professional standards from abroad (in lieu of local standards or guidelines for reports) and/or transgressions were made in terms of HPCSA policies and guidelines. This situation is understandable in the light of two shortfalls in this field, namely training and regulation. The following recommendations can be made on the basis of this study: <ul><li>That psychologists who are adequately trained and have the proven experience in forensic work, be accredited by the PBP;</li> <li>That guidelines and standards for forensic work be drawn up by the PBP; in addition, that more complete ethical guidelines than those contained in chapter 7 of the PBP’s Rules of Conduct Pertaining Specifically to Psychology also be drawn up;</li> <li>That adequate training at MA level in basic forensic issues be made compulsory, with the option of advanced training for those wishing to specialise in the field; and</li> <li>That lawyers be trained in basic concepts of psychology so as to allow for better selection of an appropriate psychologist to assist them and also to assure effective cross-examination regarding psychological issues in court.</li></ul> If these recommendations were implemented, they could aid in regulating the field, thus producing forensic work of a consistently high quality. This will hopefully help to narrow the gap between the expected and actual interaction between law and psychology. Copyright / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Psychology / unrestricted

The aim of thesis is to evaluate the current practice of assessing the credibility of testimony in criminal proceedings and reflect on its current issues. In particular, it is necessary to resolve the question of the extent to the competence of an expert-psychologist in assessing process and the establishment of basic criteria according to which the experts proceed. I have chosen this topic because it's connecting criminal law and psychology which is important for society and a highly discussed in this time. Assessing the credibility is one of usual requests for expert psychologists from investigative, prosecuting and adjudicating bodies and it is also the most common, but often the most difficult part of psychological expertise. The thesis is composed of four chapters. The first chapter deals with the history of assessing the credibility. The second chapter describes the psychological expertise in criminal proceedings in our country and consists of four parts dealing with experts, expertise and evidence and evaluation of evidence in criminal procedure. The third chapter looks at assessing the credibility as a problem of professionals and it contains four parts. The first part defines the basis for assessing the credibility, the second part defines fundamental terms. The third part describes verbal and...

A perícia psicológica é um recurso previsto no Código do Processo Civil para instruir litígios processuais em Vara de Família. O laudo psicológico como documento escrito resultante da avaliação psicológica pericial deve preencher requisitos formais para ser aceito enquanto prova pericial pelo Direito. O laudo psicológico deve preencher requisitos técnicos e éticos para ser considerado um trabalho cientificamente aceitável na Psicologia. Estudou-se uma amostra de 31 representações (denúncias éticas) contra psicólogos que produziram laudos no período de 1997 a 2005 julgados pelo Conselho Regional de Psicologia 06. As categorias de análise criadas a partir da literatura especializada permitiram: conhecer o motivo da representação, identificar o profissional representado e discriminar o que o laudo deve conter para ser considerado um operador de verdade. Os resultados revelaram uma amostra heterogênea. Havia apenas quatro laudos psicológicos periciais sendo que os demais documentos eram declarações, pareceres e relatórios de atendimento psicoterapêutico. O maior número de representações partiu de pessoas que não foram atendidas ou avaliadas por estes psicólogos. O grupo profissional que recebeu o maior número de representações foi o dos que realizaram psicodiagnósticos ou terapias de crianças (21 profissionais). Do total, 20 representações foram arquivadas ou terminaram em absolvição. Oito profissionais foram condenados por fazerem afirmações a respeito de pessoas sem fundamentação técnica condizente. Três casos prescreveram. Concluiu-se que existe desconhecimento por grande parte da categoria sobre o trabalho desenvolvido no campo da Psicologia Jurídica, especificamente na Vara da Família. O psicólogo judiciário que atua nesta área produzindo laudos não é o profissional mais representado no CRP-06. Quase dois terços dos trabalhos escritos foram considerados isentos de falhas técnicas ou éticas. Os laudos considerados aceitáveis pelos padrões da profissão também o são para fim de prova judicial. As falhas mais graves não são da ordem da linguagem (problemas semânticos ou sintáticos), como também não são de dificuldade de comunicação da matéria psicológica ao leitor leigo, mas de estratégias de avaliação psicológica equivocadas. Os documentos escritos foram gerados a partir de atendimentos que desconsideraram aspectos importantes das famílias envolvidas em litígios processuais. Atribuiu-se tais falhas à atuação contratransferencial, falta de familiaridade com o trabalho com famílias e desconhecimento das relações de poder no trato com advogados e juízes. Alerta-se para o risco ético de se prescrever encaminhamentos jurídicos (sentenças) como resultado da avaliação psicológica, extrapolando o objeto e o objetivo da Psicologia. Reconhece-se o processo de normalização que é efetivado pela avaliação psicológica para fim de normatização da conduta pelo Poder Judiciário como forma de dirimir o conflito social. A atuação das Comissões de Ética dos Conselhos Regionais e Federal possui importante papel para garantir o exercício da cidadania e a normatização da prática psicológica. DESCRITORES: Laudo Psicológico Prova Pericial Infrações Éticas - Avaliação Psicológica Psicologia Jurídica / Psychological evaluation is a legal asset in the due process of Family Law litigations. It must fulfill certain requirements to be accepted as a means to provide truth for the justice. It must present ethical and technical requirements to be considered a result of sound recognized psychological practice. 31 complaints of professional misconduct relating to the producing of psychological evaluation documents for Family Law courts were reviewed. These complaints were filed with Professional Board for Psychology 06 and processed during 1998 and 2005. Categories of analyses were devised through available scientific literature in the field. The reasons for the complaint, the identification of the respondent (the person that the complaint is filed against) group and the criteria to review the contested document were analysed. The result shows different kinds of written documents but only three complete psychological evaluations performed for the court. The largest group of respondents were clinical child psychologists (21 respondents). 20 complaints were either dismissed or considered that a rule violation was not established. Eight psychologists were found responsible of Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct violation by making statements about people without sufficient scientific basis. Three cases expired. There is a general lack of knowledge about forensic psychological activities in Family Law courts. The forensic psychologist whose activity is to perform child custody evaluations is not the prevalent group of respondents. Almost two thirds of all the contested written reports were considered flawless. Psychological evaluations contested but not sanctioned were found valid and useful in court. Semantic or syntax problems of language or incompetence to convey psychological subject to lay people were not the basis of filed complaints. There seems to be problems with psychological evaluation strategies instead. Important dynamic family issues were ignored leading to faulty conclusions stated on written reports. Acting out of counter transference feelings, lack of experience in work with families involved in justice, and lack of knowledge of the power struggle in dealing with lawyers and judges are thought to be reasons for the misconduct. A warning is made against psychological evaluation that addresses the merit of the case, thus performing an act alien to the object and objective of psychological practice. It is recognized that psychological evaluation leads to the normalization of human conduct then ruled acceptable or not through legal standards. Social conflicts should be ruled by courts and not by psychologists. The works of Professional Board of Psychology both regional and federal are of paramount importance for the active citizenship and responsible provision of psychological services.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-04T18:27:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 EDSON OLIVEIRA.pdf: 495828 bytes, checksum: 142be76be6b90a5bcd810994694833f6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2004-12-21 / Searching to appoint the paper of the desprotection in the occurrences of domestic sexual abuse, proceeded it the descriptive analysis from found these occurrences in findings of psychological studies carried through by judiciary psychologists, members of the team technique s judiciary psychology of one of the circumscriptions of the Court s Justice of the S?o Paulo s State. In elapsing of the analysis one was identified 34 victims and one chose 16 class of information, from which was possible according to the duration period of the domestic sexual abuse. Getting 9 domestic sexual abuse of only episode; 9 in a short period and 16 in a drawn out period. One proved that the prolongation of the abuse is an indicating insurance of the occurrence of the maternal connivance, however, not if it could affirmed that this is essential so that the abuse if draws out. It can be proven that the maternal connivance happens correlated with the interests and concerns of the mother with the family s preservation and the children s sustenance, however, its understanding cannot do without the collective s recognition of the indignification of the separate woman and with children and of the single woman with children. One identified three correlated groupality s familial configuration with the occurrences of domestic sexual abuse, being common integration relations between them. It is pointed the dignification of the separate woman with children and of the single woman with children as a psicossocial intervention to able to stimulate the revelation and to prevent the occurrences of domestic sexual abuse. / Buscando apontar o papel da desprote??o nas ocorr?ncias de abuso sexual dom?stico, procedeu-se ? an?lise descritiva de tais ocorr?ncias em laudos de estudos psicol?gicos. Os laudos foram produzidos por psic?logos judici?rios, membros da equipe t?cnica de psicologia judici?ria de uma das circunscri??es do Tribunal de Justi?a do Estado de S?o Paulo. No decorrer de an?lise descritiva identificou-se 34 v?timas e elegeu-se 16 classes de informa??es, a partir das quais foi poss?vel agrupar as vitimiza??es segundo o per?odo de dura??o. Obtendo-se 9 vitimiza??es de epis?dio ?nico; 9 de per?odo curto e 16 de per?odo prolongado. Comprovou-se que o prolongamento do abuso ? um indicador seguro da ocorr?ncia da coniv?ncia materna, entretanto, n?o se p?de afirmar que esta seja imprescind?vel para que o abuso se prolongue. Pode-se comprovar que a coniv?ncia materna acontece correlacionada a interesses e preocupa??es da m?e com a preserva??o da fam?lia e com o sustento dos filhos, entretanto, sua compreens?o n?o pode prescindir do reconhecimento da indignifica??o coletiva da mulher separada e com filhos. Identificou-se tr?s configura??es da grupalidade familiar correlacionadas ?s ocorr?ncias de abuso sexual dom?stico, sendo comum rela??es de complementariedade entre elas. Aponta-se a dignifica??o da mulher separada e com filhos como uma interven??o psicossocial capaz de estimular a revela??o e de prevenir as ocorr?ncias de abuso sexual dom?stico.

Psychological evaluations administered by forensic psychologist in personal injury cases are surrounded by complex issues. Although empirically-based research has legitimized that psychological damages do exist in personal injury cases there is a missing link in the way forensic psychologists are conducting these evaluations. Prior researchers suggested that some personal injury evaluations had been dismissed or overlooked due to a lack of a standard of care. Addressing the current literature, this study examined how a diverse group of 14 licensed forensic psychologists, operating in different judicial jurisdictions (Daubert, Frye, and Independent) were conducting personal injury evaluations and their perspectives on the implementation of a standard of care. A qualitative thematic analysis design was used to gain a more in-depth understanding of this phenomenon. Systems theory was the conceptual framework that informed this study and guided the methodology employed. The identified themes were organized into steps reflected in an adapted version cube model. The study promotes positive social change by fostering confidence in the field of psychology and personal injury evaluations with regard to bolstering the overall credibility, reliability, and validity of the practice and processes involved. Further, positive change can occur through the development of framework that assists in leveling the practice by keeping evaluations flexible, but consistent; basing the decision regarding implementing a standard of care on the utility of the framework, along with future findings and developments in the field.

A perícia psicológica é um recurso previsto no Código do Processo Civil para instruir litígios processuais em Vara de Família. O laudo psicológico como documento escrito resultante da avaliação psicológica pericial deve preencher requisitos formais para ser aceito enquanto prova pericial pelo Direito. O laudo psicológico deve preencher requisitos técnicos e éticos para ser considerado um trabalho cientificamente aceitável na Psicologia. Estudou-se uma amostra de 31 representações (denúncias éticas) contra psicólogos que produziram laudos no período de 1997 a 2005 julgados pelo Conselho Regional de Psicologia 06. As categorias de análise criadas a partir da literatura especializada permitiram: conhecer o motivo da representação, identificar o profissional representado e discriminar o que o laudo deve conter para ser considerado um operador de verdade. Os resultados revelaram uma amostra heterogênea. Havia apenas quatro laudos psicológicos periciais sendo que os demais documentos eram declarações, pareceres e relatórios de atendimento psicoterapêutico. O maior número de representações partiu de pessoas que não foram atendidas ou avaliadas por estes psicólogos. O grupo profissional que recebeu o maior número de representações foi o dos que realizaram psicodiagnósticos ou terapias de crianças (21 profissionais). Do total, 20 representações foram arquivadas ou terminaram em absolvição. Oito profissionais foram condenados por fazerem afirmações a respeito de pessoas sem fundamentação técnica condizente. Três casos prescreveram. Concluiu-se que existe desconhecimento por grande parte da categoria sobre o trabalho desenvolvido no campo da Psicologia Jurídica, especificamente na Vara da Família. O psicólogo judiciário que atua nesta área produzindo laudos não é o profissional mais representado no CRP-06. Quase dois terços dos trabalhos escritos foram considerados isentos de falhas técnicas ou éticas. Os laudos considerados aceitáveis pelos padrões da profissão também o são para fim de prova judicial. As falhas mais graves não são da ordem da linguagem (problemas semânticos ou sintáticos), como também não são de dificuldade de comunicação da matéria psicológica ao leitor leigo, mas de estratégias de avaliação psicológica equivocadas. Os documentos escritos foram gerados a partir de atendimentos que desconsideraram aspectos importantes das famílias envolvidas em litígios processuais. Atribuiu-se tais falhas à atuação contratransferencial, falta de familiaridade com o trabalho com famílias e desconhecimento das relações de poder no trato com advogados e juízes. Alerta-se para o risco ético de se prescrever encaminhamentos jurídicos (sentenças) como resultado da avaliação psicológica, extrapolando o objeto e o objetivo da Psicologia. Reconhece-se o processo de normalização que é efetivado pela avaliação psicológica para fim de normatização da conduta pelo Poder Judiciário como forma de dirimir o conflito social. A atuação das Comissões de Ética dos Conselhos Regionais e Federal possui importante papel para garantir o exercício da cidadania e a normatização da prática psicológica. DESCRITORES: Laudo Psicológico Prova Pericial Infrações Éticas - Avaliação Psicológica Psicologia Jurídica / Psychological evaluation is a legal asset in the due process of Family Law litigations. It must fulfill certain requirements to be accepted as a means to provide truth for the justice. It must present ethical and technical requirements to be considered a result of sound recognized psychological practice. 31 complaints of professional misconduct relating to the producing of psychological evaluation documents for Family Law courts were reviewed. These complaints were filed with Professional Board for Psychology 06 and processed during 1998 and 2005. Categories of analyses were devised through available scientific literature in the field. The reasons for the complaint, the identification of the respondent (the person that the complaint is filed against) group and the criteria to review the contested document were analysed. The result shows different kinds of written documents but only three complete psychological evaluations performed for the court. The largest group of respondents were clinical child psychologists (21 respondents). 20 complaints were either dismissed or considered that a rule violation was not established. Eight psychologists were found responsible of Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct violation by making statements about people without sufficient scientific basis. Three cases expired. There is a general lack of knowledge about forensic psychological activities in Family Law courts. The forensic psychologist whose activity is to perform child custody evaluations is not the prevalent group of respondents. Almost two thirds of all the contested written reports were considered flawless. Psychological evaluations contested but not sanctioned were found valid and useful in court. Semantic or syntax problems of language or incompetence to convey psychological subject to lay people were not the basis of filed complaints. There seems to be problems with psychological evaluation strategies instead. Important dynamic family issues were ignored leading to faulty conclusions stated on written reports. Acting out of counter transference feelings, lack of experience in work with families involved in justice, and lack of knowledge of the power struggle in dealing with lawyers and judges are thought to be reasons for the misconduct. A warning is made against psychological evaluation that addresses the merit of the case, thus performing an act alien to the object and objective of psychological practice. It is recognized that psychological evaluation leads to the normalization of human conduct then ruled acceptable or not through legal standards. Social conflicts should be ruled by courts and not by psychologists. The works of Professional Board of Psychology both regional and federal are of paramount importance for the active citizenship and responsible provision of psychological services.

This dissertation examines different aspects involved in the formation of psychologists’ expert opinion in the Portuguese criminal justice system, more precisely, as this opinion is reflected in assessment reports. The present dissertation is comprised of three qualitative studies, the first sought to provide a general portrait of a sample of 106 forensic psychological reports as to their overall quality as measured in terms of relevance and coherence. Results show that the formal markers of quality are present in the sample analysed, a certain number of weaknesses have been observed, notably concerning the internal coherence of the reports as well as the relevance of the information reported on. The second study explored the opinions of 17 Portuguese judges and state prosecutors concerning the use they make of this type of forensic report. It appears that they consider these reports to be useful and very credible, specially so when they have been produced under the auspices of the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, which is the state forensic institution. Furthermore, it appears that judges and prosecutors were particularly interested in data that allowed for a personalised portrait of the assessee. The third study sought to better comprehend the conceptual bases on which psychologists construct their reports. To this end, an exploratory study was undertaken with a sample of key-actors; the analysis of their interviews shows that they define their judicial mandate as well as the basic concepts that are associated to this mandate in different ways. A theoretical framework provided by an implicit theories model was used to help understand these results. / Cette thèse présente trois études qualitatives qui concernent différents aspects de la formulation de l’opinion experte chez des psychologues forensiques, tel que cette opinion se révèle dans leurs rapports d’expertise psycho-légale. La première étude porte sur la qualité d’un vaste échantillon de rapports d’expertise en se concentrant sur des critères de pertinence et de cohérence comme mesures de leur qualité générale. Cette étape a permis de dresser le portrait de 106 rapports forensiques produits au Portugal et d’établir qu’ils rencontrent les critères de qualité formelle établis tout en présentant certaines faiblesses en ce qui concerne la pertinence des informations utilisées et la cohérence interne du rapport La deuxième étude explore les opinions de dix-sept juges et procureurs de la République portugaise et s’interroge plus particulièrement sur leurs perspectives concernant l’utilité ce type de rapports d’experts dans leur travail en cour criminelle. Il appert que ces derniers leur accordent une grande crédibilité en particulier lorsqu’ils ont été produits par les experts de l’Institut portugais de médicine légale et sciences forensiques, l’institution forensique nationale affiliée au Ministère de la Justice. De plus, il se dégage des entretiens que les juges et les procureurs sont particulièrement intéressés par les données qui permettent de dresser un portrait individualisé de la personne évaluée. La troisième étude vise à mieux saisir les bases conceptuelles sur lesquelles les psychologues experts construisent leurs rapports. Pour ce faire, une étude exploratoire auprès d’un échantillon d’acteurs-clés a été menée qui a permis de dégager un certain nombre de constats, notamment que ceux-ci définissent leurs mandats judiciaires ainsi que les concepts fondamentaux qui y sont associés de manière différente. Un cadre théorique basé sur le modèle des théories implicites a été utilisé pour mieux comprendre ces résultats.