BPSY 3143
Introduction to Forensic and
Criminal Psychology
Understanding
Lecture definitions
Reviewing the
Agenda
course outline
Roles of forensic
Introduction to and criminologist
Forensic and
Criminal
Psychology The social context
of crime
How does
sociology help in
addressing crime?
Understanding
Definitions
Observe the
picture
Is this a crime?
Observe the
picture
Is this a crime?
What is a crime?
• Crime is a violation of societal rules of behaviour as interpreted
and expressed by the criminal law, which reflects public opinion,
traditional values and the viewpoint of people currently holding social
and political power” (Siegel, 2010).
• An act or a maladjustment to a particular culture and a social
concern (Singh, Mishra & Singh, 2021)
• Contextual in nature and understood in the aspect of the legal
system.
Classification of crimes
• Violent crimes (murder, assault, robbery)
• Property crimes (burglary, arson)
• White-collar crimes (fraud)
• Cybercrimes (hacking, identity theft)
• Organized crimes (human and drug trafficking)
• Commercial crimes
Food for thought…
What do you think is the highest
classification of crime in Malaysia?
What is a criminality?
• Criminality refers to the characteristics, behaviors, and psychological
traits of individuals who engage in criminal acts.
• It is a broader term than crime itself as it looks at the attributes
of the person who commits crime through the lens of: (Encyclopedia
of Mental Health, 2023)
1. Biological predispositions
2. Psychological factors
3. Social and environmental factors
Crime and Deviance
Crime and Deviance
Aspect Crime Deviation
Definition Violation of societal Violation of social norms,
behaviours as expressed not necessarily illegal.
by the criminal laws
Nature Involves breaking the law May or may not break the
law
Punishment Legally punished (fines, Socially punished
imprisonment, community (exclusion, stigma)
service)
Societal perception Universally condemned Varies across time and
and controlled by the law different cultures
enforcement authorities.
Crime and Deviance
Aspect Crime Deviation
Authorities Police, courts and legal Family, peers, media,
systems relevant communities
Examples Murder, theft, human Cutting the queue, body
trafficking piercings
Overlapping Yes. All crime are usually Not all deviant behaviours
considered deviant are crimes.
Are all deviant
behaviours
considered
negative?
Observe this
picture…
Is this behaviour
deviant?
Does it have a positive
or negative impact?
What is criminal
and forensic
psychology?
Criminology: A scientific study of
crime, criminal behavior, and the
criminal justice system. It examines
crime causes, prevention methods, and
societal reactions to crime.
Forensic psychology: A branch of
psychology concerned with the
scientific research and application of
psychological principles to legal and
criminal justice systems.
Differences between
Forensic psychology and criminology
Aspects Forensic Criminology
Psychology
Primary Focus Broad application in Causes, patterns, and
legal settings (civil, societal impact of
criminal law) crime.
Scope Victim psychology, Social policies and
criminal behaviour legal systems
Workplace Courts, law Law enforcement
enforcement, agencies, universities
correctional facilities
Methods used Psychological Behavioural analysis
assessment,
eyewitness reports
Roles of
Forensic and
Criminal
Psychologist
Who is a forensic psychologist?
A forensic psychologist applies psychological principles to the
legal system.
Roles often include:
1. Conducts psychological assessments of offenders
2. Provides expert testimony in court cases
3. Works with victims of crime
4. Assists law enforcement in criminal profiling
5. Designs rehabilitation programs for offenders
Who is a forensic psychologist?
Careers in forensic psychology involve the intersection of psychology and
the law
The differences between careers are the roles they perform.
– Clinical
– Experimental
– Actuarial
– Advisory
*NOTE: These roles are not mutually exclusive
(Davis, 2021)
Who is a forensic psychologist?
• A clinical role focuses on the assessment of personality and
the treatment of mental illness.
– Comparing clinical and forensic evaluation
– Fitness to stand trial assessments
– Risk Assessment
– Victimology and Victim Services
– Sexual Offenders
– Child Custody Evaluations
– Criminal profiling (Davis, 2021)
Who is a forensic psychologist?
• An actuarial role focuses on using
statistics to inform the criminal justice
system.
• Offender assessment
• Crime Analysis
Who is a forensic psychologist?
An advisory role focuses on the
psychologist’s expertise to advise the police,
courts or prison and probation services.
Police psychology
Expert Witness
Who is a criminologist?
• A criminologist is a professional who studies crime, its
causes, and its effects on society. They work with law
enforcement, policymakers, and social agencies to
develop crime prevention strategies.
Roles often include:
1. Studies crime patterns and trends
2. Research on criminal behaviour
3. Coordinates with law enforcement systems to
enhance investigative techniques
The social
context of crime
The social context of crime
Numerous social sources that can contribute to
increased crime rates
Some of these social factors include:
1. Socioeconomic factors
• Poverty (Arong et al., 2025)
• Unemployment (Jawadi et al., 2021)
• Socioeconomic inequality (Onyeneke, 2021)
The social context of crime
2. Family Environment
Childhood adversities (Adjei et al., 2021)
• Compared with children who experienced low poverty
and family adversity throughout childhood, those
exposed to persistent poverty and poor parental
mental health were at notably increased risk of
carrying weapons and reporting contact with police
The social context of crime
3. Lack of structured support systems
In relation to social disorganization theory, institutional
breakdowns gives rise to increased crime and
delinquency. (Shaw & Mckay, 1969)
Social cohesion and increasing connectedness within
communities will help to reduce crime rates.
How does
sociology help
in addressing
crime?
Sociology
• Sociology is the scientific study of how people interact and organize
themselves in society
• Sociology help us understand key theories which can give rise or prevent
crimes from occurring in different societies.
• Knowledge from sociology helps us identify social patterns, structures
and develop crime prevention strategies.
• Some examples of contribution of sociology:
1. Juvenile delinquency programs
2. Economic development projects
3. Strict community policies
