Psychology 2032A 650 SU22

Psychology of Crime and Corrections

If there is a discrepancy between the outline posted below and the outline posted on the OWL course website, the latter shall prevail.

 

WESTERN UNIVERSITY

LONDON               CANADA

Department of Psychology

2021 - 2022

 

Psychology [PSYCH2032 A   Section [650]

Psychology of Crime and Corrections

 

 

  • CALENDAR DESCRIPTION

 

This course introduces students to a broad range of issues in forensic psychology. Topics include detecting deception, eyewitness testimony, investigative interviewing, roles and responsibilities, offender profiling, correctional psychology, risk assessment, victims of crime, and fitness to stand trial. A focus will be on critical thinking, skepticism, argument, and confronting assumptions.

 

 

Antirequisite: Psychology 2031A/B, Psychology 3313A/B.

 

Antirequisites are courses that overlap sufficiently in content that only one can be taken for credit. If you take a course that is an antirequisite to a course previously taken, you will lose credit for the earlier course, regardless of the grade achieved in the most recent course.

 

Prerequisite: [Not Applicable

 

Lecture hours; 3

 

Course Weight: [0.5]

 

Unless you have either the prerequisites for this course or written special permission from your Dean to enrol in it, you may be removed from this course and it will be deleted from your record. This decision may not be appealed. You will receive no adjustment to your fees in the event that you are dropped from a course for failing to have the necessary prerequisites.

 

 

2.0  COURSE INFORMATION

 

Instructor: Brenda Kobayashi, PhD

Office and Phone Number: Zoom

Office Hours: By appointment and will be held by Zoom

Email: bkobaya@uwo.ca

 

If you have a question or would like to discuss course content, please email to set up a time to meet

during office hours. You can expect a response within 24-48 hours on Mondays to Fridays between 9

5PM (EST). Prior to emailing me, please read the course outline, announcements, and any other

supplementary material posted on Owl to see if your question has already been answered. Students are

expected and required to adhere to professional and courteous email etiquette. Emails should be spell

and grammar-checked and not written in “text message format”. Please include in the subject heading,

the course title and section. Sign email with full name and student number. Instructors and TAs reserve

the right not to respond to emails that do not adhere to such practices.

 

 

 

Teaching Assistant:

Office:TBA

Office Hours: TBA

Email:

 

Time and Location of Classes: Asynchronous, Online

Delivery Method: Lectures will be posted in the Resources folder on Owl on Mondays

 

Your first sources of information are the course syllabus and the OWL course site. Lectures, handouts, supplementary material, announcements, etc. will be posted on the OWL class page. Students are required and expected to read the course syllabus in its entirety and to check the OWL site regularly to ensure that they are kept up to date on new and revised course content, supplementary material, handouts, announcements, etc.

 

Students who are in emotional/mental distress should refer to Health and Wellness @Western https://www.uwo.ca/health/ for a complete list of options about how to obtain help.

 

Please contact the course instructor if you require material in an alternate format or if you require any other arrangements to make this course more accessible to you. You may also wish to contact Student Accessibility Services (formerly known as Services for Students with Disabilities) at 519-661-2147.

 

3.0  TEXTBOOK

 

Pozzulo, Bennell & Forth (2022). Forensic Psychology (6th Ed)

Additional Readings: posted on Owl

 

4.0  COURSE OBJECTIVES & LEARNING OUTCOMES

 

This course introduces students to a broad range of issues in the area of forensic psychology. Examining and discussing the empirical and theoretical research will show the interplay among cognitive, biological, and social factors in understanding the different forensic psychology areas. Students are encouraged to think critically, and to challenge the underlying assumptions of different schools of thought.

 

Topics included in this course are: The Introduction to Forensic Psychology, Police Discretion, Criminal Profiling, Deception, Eyewitness Testimony, Psychopathy, Victims and Witness, Sentencing and Parole in Canada, and many others.

 

Learning Outcome

Learning Activity

Assessment

Depth and Breadth of Knowledge.

  • Identify and apply key concepts, principles, and theoretical approaches in Forensic Psychology
  • Examine various theories to emphasize the multidisciplinary approach in Forensic Psychology.

Lectures and Readings

Multiple Choice Exams

Knowledge of Methodologies.

  • Examine research methodology specific to forensic topics to understand how studies in forensic psychology are conducted.
  • Critically examine the empirical and theoretical research in Forensic Psychology.
  • Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses in the empirical and theoretical research in forensic psychology

Lectures and Readings

Multiple Choice Exams

Application of Knowledge.

  • Identify and apply key concepts, principles, and theoretical approaches in Forensic Psychology.

Lectures and Readings

Multiple Choice Exams

Communication Skills.

  • Demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of key concepts, principles, and theoretical approaches in Forensic Psychology

 

Lectures and Readings

Multiple Choice Exams

 

 

 

 

5.0  EVALUATION

 

Evaluation is based on three online quizzes and one final examination

 

Quiz 1 (worth 20%) held on Tuesday, May 24, 2022

Quiz 2 (worth 20%) held on Monday, June 13, 2022

Quiz 3 (worth 20%) held on Monday, July 4, 2022

Final Examination (worth 40%) held during the Final Exam (August 2-5) period.

 

The quizzes and final exam are based on material in lectures, readings, and any supplemental material and/or readings covered in the course. The quizzes and final examinations will be multiple choice and non-cumulative. The quizzes and exams are closed book. Students are expected to work independently on all evaluations. The quizzes and exam are accessed on Owl. Copying of quiz or exam questions by any means or format (e.g., taking photos, copying questions to another document, etc.,) is strictly prohibited and constitutes an academic offence. The scheduled quizzes and final exam will be time limited and linear, meaning you will not be able to go back and review previous questions. Quizzes and examinations in this course, including makeup exams, will be proctored remotely using Proctortrack.

 

N.B. Makeup quizzes and exams will be essay format. and will be proctored (Proctortrack) remotely.

 

Grades (except the final exam and year-end mark [posted on your Student Center]) will be posted to OWL as they become available. Due to privacy regulations, I do not provide grades or discuss issues regarding grades via email. If you wish to discuss your grade(s) please contact the Instructor or TA to set up an appointment during office hours.

 

Please note Quiz 1, Quiz 2, and Quiz 3 will be asynchronous (an 8-hour availability window), timed (quizzes will have a time limit), and linear (meaning you cannot go back once you answer a question) assessment. This is done to try and limit collaboration between students during the exams. Online exam tools will be used to analyse response patterns to monitor potential inappropriate student collaboration during the exams.  You will have an 8-hour availability window that will open at 9:00AM (EST) on the date of each scheduled quiz.

 

The Final Examination will be a synchronous, timed (exam will have a time limit), and linear (meaning you cannot go back once you answer a question) assessment. The final examination is scheduled by the registrar’s office.

 

Quiz 1 will be held on Tuesday, May 24, 2022 and is worth 20% of your final course grade. The quiz will open on Tuesday, May 24, 2022 at 9:00AM (EST) and will close on Tuesday May 24, 2022 at 5:00PM (EST). It will cover the lectures, readings, and any supplemental material and/or readings from the week of May 9, 2022 up to and including the week of May 16, 2022.

 

 

Quiz 2 will be held on Monday, June 13, 2022 and is worth 20% of your final course grade. The quiz will open on Monday, June 13, 2022 at 9:00AM (EST) and will close on Monday June 13, 2022 at 5:00PM (EST). It will cover the lectures, readings, and any supplemental material and/or readings from the week of May 23, 2022 up to and including the week of June 6, 2022.

 

Quiz 3 will be held on Monday, July 4, 2022 and is worth 20% of your final course grade. The quiz will open on Monday, July 4 2022 at 9:00AM (EST) and will close on Monday July 4, 2022 at 5:00PM (EST). It will cover the lectures, readings, and any supplemental material and/or readings from the week of June 20, 2022 up to and including the week of June 27, 2022.

 

The Final Examination will be held during the final examination period, TBA. The final examination period is August 2, 2022 to August 5, 2022. The final examination will cover the lectures, readings, and any supplemental material and/or readings from the week of July 11, 2022 up to and including the week of July 25, 2022. Please note the examination will be synchronous, timed, and linear.

 

Any review of evaluations should be done within two weeks of the mark being released, unless advised otherwise by the instructor. Students who wish to seek a re-evaluation of grades must justify in detail and in writing, exactly why they feel that a mark is not justified. Such a request is to be based on reasons that are rooted in the specific course content and keeping in mind the expectations for this class. The evaluation will be regraded in its entirety, not simply the questions or portion the student believes were scored improperly. Note, in the course of remarking an evaluation, the instructor or TA may discover errors or defects that were not originally detected on the evaluation and as a result it is possible that a student’s revised mark may go down, rather than up. Please note that in an event that a mark is re-evaluated, the instructor reserves the right to adjust the mark both upwards and downwards. The revised mark stands.

 

N.B. To ensure the fair treatment of all students, so that no one individual receives any consideration or special treatment as a result of verbal complaints (e.g., arbitrary bumping up of grades) that is not equally received by others, there are no make-up assignments for low evaluation scores.

 

 

At the discretion of the instructor, when deemed necessary, tests and examinations in this course will be conducted using a remote proctoring service. By taking this course, you are consenting to the use of this software and acknowledge that you will be required to provide personal information (including some biometric data) and the session will be recorded. Completion of this course will require you to have a reliable internet connection and a device that meets the technical requirements for this service. More information about this remote proctoring service, including technical requirements, is available on Western’s Remote Proctoring website at: https://remoteproctoring.uwo.ca.

Completion of this course requires students to have a reliable internet connection and device that meets the system requirements for an online course. Please read and follow the handout “Best Practices for Students Taking Online Exams” (posted in the Resources folder). There are Technical Help Resources listed on this handout.

If you have difficulties with time limited, linear exams, I recommend and encourage students to reach out to Academic Counselling and Western’s Learning Development and Success Center. They have several resources, both in-person and online, to assist students.

http://www.uwo.ca/sdc/learning/

 

 

5.1  POLICY ON MISSING COURSEWORK

 

Makeup examinations are granted with approved documentation only. Makeup exams in this course will be essay format only and will be remotely proctored.

If you miss an exam or makeup exam due to illness or for any other unforeseen reason, please notify me within 24 hours.

Students must provide notification and documentation for the reasons for your circumstances to your Academic Counselling within 48 hours of the missed coursework.

There will be only one makeup examination for each scheduled quiz or examination.. Students who fail to obtain accommodation and/or fail to write their makeup quiz or examination will receive a “0” on the test.  

 

The expectation for course grades within the Psychology Department is that they will be distributed around the following averages:

 

70%     1000-level to 2099-level courses

72%     2100-2999-level courses

75%     3000-level courses

80%     4000-level courses

 

The Psychology Department follows Western’s grading guidelines, which are as follows (see: http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/general/grades_undergrad.pdf)

 

A+        90-100              One could scarcely expect better from a student at this level

A          80-89                Superior work that is clearly above average

B          70-79                Good work, meeting all requirements, and eminently satisfactory

C          60-69                Competent work, meeting requirements

D          50-59                Fair work, minimally acceptable

F          below 50           Fail

 

Note that in the event that course grades are significantly higher or lower than these averages, instructors may be required to make adjustments to course grades. Such adjustment might include the normalization of one or more course components and/or the re-weighting of various course components.

 

Policy on Grade Rounding: Please note that although course grades within the Psychology Department are rounded to the nearest whole number, no further grade rounding will be done. No additional assignments will be offered to enhance a final grade; nor will requests to change a grade because it is needed for a future program be considered. To maximize your grade, do your best on each and every assessment within the course.

 

 

6.0  CLASS SCHEDULE (Tentative Schedule)

 

The lecture schedule may change; however, the quiz dates are final.

 

  • While the textbook and lectures will fit together, some material may only be provided in lectures.
  • I will not be covering all material in the text during the lectures.
  • You will, however, be tested on all material in the text and any material that is presented in lectures.

 

May 9

Introduction: Welcome to Psychology of Crime and Corrections

An Introduction to Forensic Psychology

Course Syllabus

Introduction videos

Chapter 1

May 16

Police Psychology and the Psychology of Police Investigations

Chapter 2 and Chapter 3

May 24

Online Quiz 1

See Section 5.0 of course syllabus for quiz details

 

May 30

Deception

Juries: Fact Finders

Chapter 4

Chapter 7

June 6

Eyewitness Testimony

Chapter 5

 

June 13

 

 

 

Online Quiz 2

See Section 5.0 of course syllabus for quiz details

 

June 20

Sentencing and Parole in Canada

The Role of Mental Illness in Court

Chapter 9

Chapter 8

June 27

Risk Assessment

 

Chapter 10

July 4

Online Quiz 3

 

See Section 5.0 of course syllabus for quiz details

July 11

Psychopaths

Homicidal Offenders

Sex Offenders

Chapter 11

Chapter 15

Chapter 14

July 18

Assessment and Treatment of Young Offenders

Chapter 10

July 25

Intimate Partner Violence

Chapter 13

August 2-5

FINAL EXAM

 

 

8.0  Land Acknowledgement

 

We acknowledge that Western University is located on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabek, Haudenosaunee, Lūnaapéewak and Attawandaron peoples, on lands connected with the London Township and Sombra Treaties of 1796 and the Dish with One Spoon Covenant Wampum.

 

With this, we respect the longstanding relationships that Indigenous Nations have to this land, as they are the original caretakers. We acknowledge historical and ongoing injustices that Indigenous Peoples (e.g. First Nations, Métis and Inuit) endure in Canada, and we accept responsibility as a public institution to contribute toward revealing and correcting miseducation, as well as renewing respectful relationships with Indigenous communities through our teaching, research and community service.

 

 

9.0  STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC OFFENCES

 

Students are responsible for understanding the nature and avoiding the occurrence of plagiarism and other scholastic offences. Plagiarism and cheating are considered very serious offences because they undermine the integrity of research and education. Actions constituting a scholastic offence are described at the following link: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/scholastic_discipline_undergrad.pdf

 

As of Sept. 1, 2009, the Department of Psychology will take the following steps to detect scholastic offences. All multiple-choice tests and exams will be checked for similarities in the pattern of responses using reliable software, and records will be made of student seating locations in all tests and exams. All written assignments will be submitted to TurnItIn, a service designed to detect and deter plagiarism by comparing written material to over 5 billion pages of content located on the Internet or in TurnItIn’s databases. All papers submitted for such checking will be included as source documents in the reference database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of papers subsequently submitted to the system. Use of the service is subject to the licensing agreement, currently between Western and Turnitin.com (http://www.turnitin.com).

 

Computer-marked multiple-choice tests and/or exams will be subject to submission for similarity review by software that will check for unusual coincidences in answer patterns that may indicate cheating.

 

In classes that involve the use of a personal response system (PRS), data collected using the PRS will only be used in a manner consistent to that described in this outline. It is the instructor’s responsibility to make every effort to ensure that data remain confidential. However, students should be aware that as with all forms of electronic communication, privacy is not guaranteed. Your PRS login credentials are for your sole use only. Students attempting to use another student’s credentials to submit data through the PRS may be subject to academic misconduct proceedings.

 

Possible penalties for a scholastic offence include failure of the assignment/exam, failure of the course, suspension from the University, and expulsion from the University.

 

10.0      POLICY ON THE USE OF EXAM PROCTORING SOFTWARE

 

When examinations and tests cannot be given in person (e.g., in courses coded as Distance Studies; in the event of a lockdown order), they may be conducted using either a monitoring platform such as Zoom or a remote proctoring service, such as Proctorio. If Zoom is used for exam invigilation, you will be required to keep your camera on for the entire session, hold up your student card for identification purposes, and share your screen with the invigilator if asked to do so at any time during the exam. The exam session using Zoom will not be recorded.*

If a remote proctoring service is used, the service will require you to provide personal information (including some biometric data). The session will be recorded. In the event that in-person exams are unexpectedly canceled, you may only be given notice of the use of a proctoring service a short time in advance. More information about remote proctoring is available in the Online Proctoring Guidelines. Please ensure you are familiar with any proctoring service’s technical requirements before the exam. Additional guidance is available at the following link: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/onlineproctorguidelines.pdf

 

* Please note that Zoom servers are located outside Canada. If you would prefer to use only your first name or a nickname to login to Zoom, please provide this information to the instructor in advance of the test or examination. See this link for technical requirements: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us  

 

11.0      POLICY ON ACCOMMODATION FOR ILLNESS OR OTHER ABSENCES

 

Western’s policy on Accommodation for Medical Illness can be found at:
http://www.westerncalendar.uwo.ca/PolicyPages.cfm?PolicyCategoryID=1&Command=showCategory&SelectedCalendar=Live&ArchiveID=#Page_12

 

If you experience an extenuating circumstance (e.g., illness, injury) sufficiently significant to temporarily make you unable to meet academic requirements, you may request accommodation through the following routes:

  1. Submitting a Self-Reported Absence form (for circumstances that are expected to resolve within 48 hours);
  2. For medical absences, submitting a Student Medical Certificate (SMC) signed by a licensed medical or mental health practitioner in order to be eligible for Academic Consideration;
  • For non-medical absences, submitting appropriate documentation (e.g., obituary, police report, accident report, court order, etc.) to Academic Counselling in their Faculty of registration in order to be eligible for academic consideration. Students are encouraged to contact their Academic Counselling unit to clarify what documentation is appropriate.

 

Students must see the Academic Counsellor and submit all required documentation in order to be approved for certain accommodation. The self-reported absence form must be submitted before the exam/coursework deadline in order to be valid. It may NOT be used for absences longer than 48 hours; coursework/tests/exams/etc., worth more than 30% of the final grade; or exams scheduled in the December or April final-exam periods:

 

https://www.registrar.uwo.ca/faculty_academic_counselling.html

 

Students seeking academic consideration:

  • are advised to consider carefully the implications of postponing tests or midterm exams or delaying handing in work;  
  • are encouraged to make appropriate decisions based on their specific circumstances, recognizing that minor ailments (upset stomach) or upsets (argument with a friend) are not normally an appropriate basis for a self-reported absence;
  • must communicate with their instructors no later than 24 hoursafter the end of the period covered by either the self-reported absence or SMC, or immediately upon their return following a documented absence

 

Students seeking accommodation for religious purposes are advised to contact Academic Counselling at least three weeks prior to the religious event and as soon as possible after the start of the term.

 

12.0      Contingency Plan for Return to Lockdown: IN-Person & Blended classes

 

In the event of a COVID-19 resurgence or any other event that necessitates the course delivery moving away from face-to-face interaction, all remaining course content will be delivered entirely online, either synchronously (i.e., at the times indicated in the timetable) or asynchronously (e.g., posted on OWL for students to view at their convenience). The grading scheme will not change. Any remaining assessments will also be conducted online, as determined by the course instructor.

 

13.0      STATEMENTS CONCERNING ONLINE ETIQUETTE

 

In courses involving online interactions, the Psychology Department expects students to honour the following rules of etiquette:

  • please “arrive” to class on time
  • please use your computer and/or laptop if possible (as opposed to a cell phone or tablet)
  • please ensure that you are in a private location to protect the confidentiality of discussions in the event that a class discussion deals with sensitive or personal material
  • to minimize background noise, kindly mute your microphone for the entire class until you are invited to speak, unless directed otherwise
  • In classes larger than 30 participants please turn off your video camera for the entire class unless you are invited to speak
  • In classes of 30 students or fewer, where video chat procedures are being used, please be prepared to turn your video camera off at the instructor’s request if the internet connection becomes unstable
  • Unless invited by your instructor, do not share your screen in the meeting

 

The course instructor will act as moderator for the class and will deal with any questions from participants. To participate please consider the following:

  • If you wish to speak, use the “raise hand” function and wait for the instructor to acknowledge you before beginning your comment or question.
  • Please remember to unmute your microphone and turn on your video camera before speaking.
  • Self-identify when speaking.
  • Please remember to mute your mic and turn off your video camera after speaking (unless directed otherwise).

 

General considerations of “netiquette”:

  • Keep in mind the different cultural and linguistic backgrounds of the students in the course.
  • Be courteous toward the instructor, your colleagues, and authors whose work you are discussing.
  • Be respectful of the diversity of viewpoints that you will encounter in the class and in your readings. The exchange of diverse ideas and opinions is part of the scholarly environment. “Flaming” is never appropriate.
  • Be professional and scholarly in all online postings. Use proper grammar and spelling. Cite the ideas of others appropriately.

 

Note that disruptive behaviour of any type during online classes, including inappropriate use of the chat function, is unacceptable. Students found guilty of Zoom-bombing a class or of other serious online offenses may be subject to disciplinary measures under the Code of Student Conduct.

 

14.0      OTHER INFORMATION

 

Office of the Registrar: http://registrar.uwo.ca 

 

Student Development Services: www.sdc.uwo.ca

 

Please see the Psychology Undergraduate web site for information on the following:

- Policy on Cheating and Academic Misconduct

- Procedures for Appealing Academic Evaluations

- Policy on Attendance

- Policy Regarding Makeup Exams and Extensions of Deadlines

- Policy for Assignments

- Short Absences

- Extended Absences

- Documentation

- Academic Concerns

- 2021-2022 Calendar References

 

If you wish to appeal a grade, please read the policy documentation at: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/appealsundergrad.pdf

Please first contact the course instructor. If your issue is not resolved, you may make your appeal to the Undergraduate Chair in Psychology (psyugrd@uwo.ca).

 

Copyright Statement: Lectures and course materials, including power point presentations, outlines, videos and similar materials, are protected by copyright. You may take notes and make copies of course materials for your own educational use. You may not record lectures, reproduce (or allow others to reproduce), post or distribute any course materials publicly and/or for commercial purposes without the instructor’s written consent.

 

Policy on the Recording of Synchronous Sessions: Some or all of the remote learning sessions for this course (if scheduled) may be recorded. The data captured during these recordings may include your image, voice recordings, chat logs and personal identifiers (name displayed on the screen). The recordings will be used for educational purposes related to this course, including evaluations. The recordings may be disclosed to other individuals participating in the course for their private or group study purposes. Please contact the instructor if you have any concerns related to session recordings. Participants in this course are not permitted to privately record the sessions, except where recording is an approved accommodation, or the student has the prior written permission of the instructor.