PSY 206 Criminology and Criminal Psychology
Criminology approaches crimes and their authors in a multi-disciplinary perspective through psychology, medicine, law, and sociology. It is in the union of these competences that criminology finds its uniqueness. Criminal psychology studies mental illness and its manifestations which can result in crimes and violent behavior. After introducing theoretical frameworks, the course will focus on the analysis of single types of crimes, particularly, homicide, sexual crimes, and abuse within the family. It will also focus on the psychological assessment in the forensic and penitentiary contexts. In addition to the methodological principles of forensic psychological assessment of legal skills, the course will place importance on the process of creating and applying psychological assessment instruments to forensic queries. Within this framework, the role of mental health disorders in the forensic field will also be taken into consideration. The course will include both lectures and analyses of criminal cases.