PS766: Risk Assessment and Management in Forensic Psychology Report

This report focuses on risk assessment and management within forensic psychology, specifically addressing child sex offenders. It begins by defining risk and the importance of identifying behavioral changes in children. The main body explores various risk assessment tools, including empirical, theoretical, and clinical methods, and discusses current risks and their potential impact. The report then delves into models of change, such as the Transtheoretical Model, and outlines legal and ethical frameworks guiding psychologists' work. It also examines interventions like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Problem-Solving Therapy. The report concludes by summarizing key findings and referencing relevant literature, providing a comprehensive overview of risk assessment and management in the context of forensic psychology. The assignment is designed to help students understand and apply these concepts to real-world scenarios and is available on Desklib.

EX1 Practical Skills
Assessment
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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5
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INTRODUCTION
Children suffering from paedophiles observe change in their behaviour. Basically,
paedophile is psychiatric disorder in which children or adult experience sexual attraction. So, it is
important to health care worker to identify change in behaviour so that accordingly care services
in provided to them (Bartol and Bartol 2017). A risk assessment needs to be done to find out
what are risk associated in it. Thus, in forensic psychology there are various types of risk
assessment tools which can be used. It depends on needs of children and situation.
The report will describe about what are tools of risk assessment used along with current risk.
MAIN BODY
In order to deal with child sex offenders it is necessary to find out what are the risks
associated with it. So, on basis of that relevant measures and actions are taken. This enable in
dealing with critical situation and mitigating impact of risk on child behaviour. Besides, the use
of tools help in finding out what are current risks, its impact, etc. Therefore, proper actions and
measures are taken. Thus, the tools are explained as below:
Empirical method – this is most common risk assessment tool in which risk is identified by
involving with children and analysing change in bio psychological characteristics of both
offenders and non offenders. This is done in systematic way.
Theoretical method- It is a tool in which forensic psychologists apply a specific theory such as
cognitive, behavioural, etc. (Forde 2017) Then, risk is determined by analysing change in anti
social behaviour.
Clinical method – In this tool the psychologist find out risk by identifying characteristics by
which capable of getting change through clinical intervention. In this dynamic factors are
considered by which various types of risk are identified.
Thus, these are different risk assessment tools which are used by forensic psychologist in
dealing with child sex offenders. It has been highly useful in analysing risk impact on their
behaviour. Hence, on basis of that relevant measures are taken.
Current risks
It has been found that there are several risk which can occur in it. These risk might
impact on children behaviour and on providing health care facility. Thus, the risk are defined as
Risk description Impact Impact level Probability Measure
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description
(Between 1-5)
1 being low, 5
being high
level
(Between 1-
5)1 being low,
5 being high
Here, main risk is
violence which
can occur in child
This can highly
impact on
children mental
behaviour as child
can engage in
violence
3 4 Here,
psychologist can
interact with
children so that
their needs are
identified.
Child
maltreatment
In this child may
get physical or
sexual abuse due
to which their
physical and
mental health is
affected in
negative way.
2 4 This can be
minimised by
continuously
communicating
with children and
observing change
in their
behaviour.
Lo 1 Various intervention and models of change in forensic psychology
There are several models of change which is used in forensic psychology. The models are
applied on basis of needs (Guarnera, Murrie and Boccaccini 2017). Hence, it is described as
Transtheoretical model- the model is developed by Prochaska and DiClemente in 1970. It focus
on decision making of individual and intention to change. It also assume that change in
behaviour is not done quickly but goes through cyclic process. Hence, there are 6 stages of
change in behaviour which is as follows :
Precontenmplation- First stage where no action is taken in future. The people are not aware about
behaviour and its consequences. Also, they are not aware about benefit of change behaviour.
Contemplation – here, change begin to start in behaviour by people. Thus, people recognise
behaviour may be a problem for them.
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Preparation- In this stage people get ready to take action in 30 days. So, for that they take small
steps towards it. Moreover, they believe that changing behaviour can led to healthy life.
Action- As name depicts in this stage people proceed towards behaviour change. They get
motivated throughout from it (Korkman, Pakkanen, and Laajasalo 2017).
Maintenance- People intend to maintain their positive behaviour for while that is 6 months. They
work to prevent relapsing of previous stages
Termination- The last stage where people do not want to return to their previous behaviour. But
this stage is not considered in programs of health promotion.
LO 3 Legal and ethical framework with which psychologist work
There are certain legal framework which is to be followed by forensic psychologist to
work. The framework enable in following of procedure to provide care to people. Thus, legal
framework is defined as
BPS- The British psychological society has designed ethics which are as below
Respect for dignity of person and people
Competence- the psychologists must be able to provide services as per professional standard.
Responsibility- psychologists must accept appropriate responsibility for what is within their
power, control or management (Neal 2018).
Integrity- Here, psychologists must be honest, truthful in one’s action, decision, etc.
HCPC- health and care professions council UK. The standards in it are as follows:
To promote and protect interest of service users and carers.
To communicate effectively with service users
To work within limit of knowledge and skills
To respect confidentiality and assign role properly.
LO 4 Manage interventions to bring change in thinking patterns during behavioural
change
There are many interventions which occur in psychology. So, these can be used to bring
change in thinking pattern. Hence, they are explained as
Cognitive behaviour therapy- It is a therapy in which people learn how to find out and change
though patterns which is having a negative influence on behaviour and emotion.
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Problem solving therapy- The theory aim to support individual to adopt optimistic view of
understanding emotions (Neal 2018). Through it, problems are evaluated and then plan is
developed to solve them.
CONCLUSION
It can be summarised that there are various risk assessment tools which can be used by
forensic psychologist to find out risk such as Empirical, theoretical method, clinical method. The
Transtheoretical model of change is used in psychology.
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REFERENCES
Books and journals
Bartol, C.R. and Bartol, A.M., 2017. Introduction to forensic psychology: Research and
application. Sage Publications.
Forde, R.A., 2017. Bad psychology: How forensic psychology left science behind. Jessica
Kingsley Publishers.
Guarnera, L.A., Murrie, D.C. and Boccaccini, M.T., 2017. Why do forensic experts disagree?
Sources of unreliability and bias in forensic psychology evaluations. Translational Issues
in Psychological Science, 3(2), p.143.
Korkman, J., Pakkanen, T. and Laajasalo, T., 2017. Child forensic interviewing in Finland:
Investigating suspected child abuse at the forensic psychology unit for children and
adolescents. In Collaborating against child abuse (pp. 145-164). Palgrave Macmillan,
Cham.
Neal, T., 2018. Forensic psychology and correctional psychology: Distinct but related subfields
of psychological science and practice. American Psychologist, 73(5), p.651.
Bartol and Bartol 2017
Forde 2017
Guarnera, Murrie and Boccaccini 2017
Korkman, Pakkanen, and Laajasalo 2017
Neal 2018
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