Psychology 2032A 650 SU24
Psychology of Crime & 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
Summer 2024
Psychology 2032 Section 650
Psychology of Crime & Corrections
1 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. Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
https://www.registrar.uwo.ca/academics/timetables.html
Antirequisites: Psychology 2031A/B, Psychology 3313A/B
Prerequisites: n/a
https://www.registrar.uwo.ca/academics/timetables.html
3 lecture hours; 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 Course Information
Instructor: Dr. John Campbell
Office and Phone Number: SSC 7415
Office Hours: TBD
Email: jcampb7@uwo.ca
Time and Location of Classes: Online course. Asynchronous
For courses that include an online component, students must have a reliable internet connection and computer that are compatible with online learning system requirements.
3 Course Materials
Pozzulo, Bennell & Forth (2018). Forensic Psychology, Sixth Edition. Nelson: Pearson
4 Course Objectives and Learning Outcomes
This course introduces students to a broad range of issues in the area of forensic psychology. The objective of the course is to guide students in becoming better consumers of information about crime, trials, punishment versus rehabilitation, incarceration, etc. A particular focus of this course will be on the discrepancy between common lay-person beliefs about crime and what is supported in empirical literature. Given this, a particular emphasis will be placed on critical thinking, scepticism, argument, and confronting assumptions. Topics include detecting deception, eyewitness testimony, investigative interviewing, role and responsibilities, offender profiling, correctional psychology, risk assessment, victims of crime, not criminally responsible and fitness to stand trial.
|
Learning Outcome |
Learning Activity |
Assessment |
|
Depth and Breadth of Knowledge.
|
Lectures, additional online resources, and required readings |
Mid-term and final tests involving MC questions |
|
Knowledge of Methodologies.
|
Lectures, additional online resources, and required readings |
Mid-term and final tests involving MC questions |
|
Application of Knowledge.
|
Lectures, additional online resources, and required readings |
Mid-term and final tests involving MC questions |
|
Communication Skills.
|
Lectures, additional online resources, and required readings |
Mid-term and final tests involving MC questions |
|
Awareness of Limits of Knowledge.
|
Lectures, additional online resources, and required readings |
Mid-term and final tests involving MC questions |
|
Autonomy and Professional Capacity.
|
Lectures, additional online resources, and required readings |
Mid-term and final tests involving MC questions |
5 Evaluation
The evaluation and testing formats for this course were created to assess the learning objectives as listed in section 4.0 and are considered necessary for meeting these learning objectives.
Grades in this course will be based on three online exams. The exams will consist of a combination of multiple-choice and fill in the blank questions. Students are responsible for material assigned in the textbook, as well as material covered in lectures. The First Exam (May 28), worth 30% of the final grade, will cover material from May 7 through May 21. The Second Exam (June 25), worth 30% of the final grade, will cover material from June 4 – June 18. The Final Exam (August Exam Schedule), worth 40% of the final grade, will cover material from July 2 through July 26.
All exams will be online via OWL and the questions will be randomized as well as the answer choices. All the exams will be “linear” in nature, meaning you can NOT return to questions you have already answered. 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.
Policy on Missing Coursework
If you miss an exam and have an excuse documented by the academic counselling office in your home faculty, you will be offered a make-up exam time. Please note that make-up exams may consist, in part or exclusively, of essay, short-answer, fill-in-the-blank, and/or multiple-choice items.
Grades will be posted to the course web site as soon as possible after each exam.
The Psychology Department follows Western’s grading guidelines: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/general/grades_undergrad.pdf
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
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.
6 Assessment/Evaluation Schedule
Date % of final grade Material covered
Exam 1 May 28 30% May 7 through May 28
Exam 2 June 24 35% June 11 through June 25
Exam 3 Aug Exams 35% July 4 through July 23
7 Class Schedule
|
Date |
Lecture |
Topic |
Reading |
|
May 7 |
1 |
Introduction – Welcome to Psychology of Crime & Corrections An Introduction to Forensic Psychology |
Course syllabus; Chapter 1 |
|
May 14 |
2 |
Criminal Profiling |
Chapter 3 |
|
May 21 |
3 |
Deception, Interrogations |
Chapter 4 |
|
May 28 |
4 |
Midterm Exam #1 |
Chapters 1,3,4 |
|
Jun 4 |
5 |
Eyewitness Testimony |
Ch 5 |
|
Jun 11 |
6 |
Criminal Responsibility |
Ch 8 |
|
Jun 18 |
7 |
Sentencing and Parole |
Ch 9 |
|
Jun 25 |
8 |
MIDTERM EXAMINATION 2 |
Chapter 5, 8, 9 |
|
July 2 |
9 |
Psychopathy & Psychopathic Offenders |
Ch 11 |
|
July 09 |
10 |
Sex Offenders |
Ch 14 |
|
July 16 |
11 |
Domestic Violence
|
Ch 13
|
|
July 23 |
12 |
Homicidal Offenders |
Ch 15 |
8 Academic Integrity
Scholastic offences are taken seriously, and students are directed to read the appropriate policy, specifically, the definition of what constitutes a Scholastic Offence, at the following Web site: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/scholastic_discipline_undergrad.pdf.
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.
Statement on Use of Electronic Devices
Plagiarism Detection Software
All required papers may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to the commercial plagiarism detection software under license to the University for the detection of plagiarism. 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.
Use of AI
The use of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT to produce written work is not permitted unless permission is granted by the instructor for specific circumstances. Any work submitted must be the work of the student in its entirety unless otherwise disclosed. When used, AI tools should be used ethically and responsibly, and students must cite or credit the tools used in line with the expectation to use AI as a tool to learn, not to produce content.
Multiple Choice Exams
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.
Exam Proctoring Software
Tests and examinations for online courses may be conducted using a remote proctoring service. More information about this remote proctoring service, including technical requirements, is available on Western’s Remote
Proctoring website at: https://remoteproctoring.uwo.ca.
Personal Response Systems (“Clickers”)
In classes that involve the use of a personal response system, data collected 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.
9 Academic Accommodations and Accessible Education
View Western’s policy on academic accommodations for student with disabilities at this link.
Accessible Education provides supports and services to students with disabilities at Western.
If you think you may qualify for ongoing accommodation that will be recognized in all your courses, visit Accessible Education for more information. Email: aew@uwo.ca Phone: 519 661-2147
10 Absence & Academic Consideration
View Western’s policy on academic consideration for medical illnesses this link
Find your academic counsellor here: https://www.registrar.uwo.ca/faculty_academic_counselling.html
Students must see the Academic Counsellor and submit all required documentation in order to be approved for certain academic considerations. Students must communicate with their instructors no later than 24 hours after the end of the period covered SMC, or immediately upon their return following a documented absence.
Medical Absences
Submit a Student Medical Certificate (SMC) signed by a licensed medical or mental health practitioner to Academic Counselling in your Faculty of registration to be eligible for Academic Consideration.
Nonmedical Absences
Submit appropriate documentation (e.g., obituary, police report, accident report, court order, etc.) to Academic Counselling in your Faculty of registration to be eligible for academic consideration. Students are encouraged to contact their Academic Counselling unit to clarify what documentation is appropriate.
Religious Consideration
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.
11 Other Information
- Office of the Registrar: https://registrar.uwo.ca
- Student Development Services: sdc.uwo.ca
- Psychology Undergraduate Program: https://www.psychology.uwo.ca/undergraduate/index.html
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.
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 in writing 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.
12 Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that Western University is located on the traditional territories of the Anishinaabek, Haudenosaunee, Lūnaapéewak, and Chonnonton. Nations, on lands connected with the London Township and Sombra Treaties of 1796 and the Dish with One Spoon Covenant Wampum. This land continues to be home to diverse Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Métis and Inuit) whom we recognize as contemporary stewards of the land and vital contributors of our society.
