An exploratory assessment of APA internships with legal/forensic experiences.

Abstract

An open-ended questionnaire was sent to all American Psychological Association-approved internship programs requesting information on training experiences in their programs that expose the intern to the interface between psychology and law. A listing of the various types of legal/forensic experiences available from specific sites is presented. The scope of these experiences and the need for qualitative assessment of them is discussed.In recent years, an increasing number of articles have appeared discussing the positive role psychologists can play in various parts of the legal system. For example, burdened with few mental health professionals (Fenster, Litwack, & Symonds, 1975), increasing offender populations (Nietzel & Moss, 1972), little knowledge of research/evaluation techniques (Twain, McGee, & Bennett, 1973;Waldo, 1971), and an isolation from academic institutions and/or professional groups possessing pertinent knowledge and capacity (Andrews & Gendreau, 1976), the correctional system has acknowledged a strong need for an increased involvement of psychologists.The criminal justice system has shown a similar need. For example, professionals see the need for psychologists to be involved in pretrial, presentence, and prerelease assessments (Twain et al., 1973), crisis intervention with victims and families of offenders, counseling of police officers, participation in police recruitment procedures, and training of law enforcement personnel in cultural/racial tension reduction and riot prevention (Brodsky, 1973).The need for psychologists to be involved in civil legal areas, although less widely discussed, is no less important. For example, psychologists are involved in helping solve family problems arising out of impending legal separations and divorces, providing consultation services to state service agencies (e.g., Department of Welfare), and providing expert testimony before courts, administrative tribunals, and legislatures relating to numerous civil (and criminal) matters (e.g., the impact of mental distress coverage in workmen's compensation laws).From this brief discussion, it is clear that psychologists are needed to perform a wide variety of services that are directly related to the law, legal system, and legal process (Sales & Elwork, in press). Yet, traditionally when psychology "touched" the law, it was referred to as forensic psychology. That is a misnomer, however, since the term forensic applies only to matters belonging to or connected with a court (Black, 1968). Therefore, the phrase legal/forensic has been chosen for this article, since it is meant to encompass all areas in which an interface between psychology and the law may occur. As such, the term is broad in scope and applies to the involvement or potential involvement of psychology in all legal matters (e.g., evaluation of insanity, incompetency) and all legal agencies (e.g., law enforcement, courts, and correctional agencies).With this broad involvement, it is no wonder that practicing clinicians rate legal/ forensic training as a hig...

The Psychology of Law

“…Perhaps the dramatic growth of fo rmal educational opportunities in the psychology of law (Fowler & Brodsky 1978, Poythress 1979, Levine et al 1980 will rectify this situation. Education in law has not been a part of education in psychology.…”

The benefits of legal psychology: Possibilities, practice and dilemmas

“…Ross & Sales (1985) report the results of a survey of legal/forensic opportunities in clinical psychology training programmes in the US. The survey showed a high, and increasing proportion of sites offering some legal/forensic training -77 per cent as compared with 55 per cent reported five years earlier by Levine, Wilson & Sales (1980). Developments are occurring more slowly in the UK, but there is a steady trend.…”

A survey of training in psychology applied to justice systems in australasia

“…Comparisons between Australasia and North America are more difficult to make. Over the last 20 years, reports of North American training opportunities have appeared in the literature, including hands-on work for undergraduates in correctional facilities (Andrews & Gendreau, 1976), internships with forensic experience (Levine et al, 1980) and placements in forensic in-patient facilities (Heilbrun & h i s , 1988). The present survey indicates that Australasia offers a comparable range of training opportunities.…”