Forensic Psychology Flashcards
7 cards from real ASPPB practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Forensic Psychology flashcards as text
A death row inmate's attorney requests a psychological evaluation regarding competency to be executed. The governing legal standard comes from:
Answer: Ford v. Wainwright
Ford v. Wainwright (1986) held that executing someone who is insane—lacking understanding of the punishment and its reason—violates the Eighth Amendment.
Which term describes a forensic psychologist who provides an independent, objective opinion to the court rather than advocating for either party?
Answer: Impartial expert or court-appointed expert
Court-appointed or impartial experts are retained by the court itself and owe their duty to the court, not to either litigant.
In a personal injury case, a plaintiff claims severe emotional distress following a workplace accident. The forensic psychologist's primary task is to:
Answer: Assess the nature, severity, and causal link of psychological harm to the event
Forensic assessment in personal injury focuses on diagnosing psychological harm and establishing causation between the event and the claimed injury.
Which of the following is an example of a protective factor that reduces violence risk and should be included in a comprehensive risk assessment?
Answer: Strong social support and community ties
Protective factors such as social support, employment, and treatment compliance attenuate risk and must be integrated into modern violence risk frameworks.
A forensic evaluator is contacted by the opposing attorney after completing a report. The most appropriate response is to:
Answer: Decline to speak without consent from the retaining party or court authorization
Ex parte communications with opposing counsel are ethically prohibited without authorization from the retaining party or the court.
The concept of 'diminished capacity' differs from an insanity defense in that diminished capacity:
Answer: Argues the defendant lacked the specific mental state (mens rea) required for the charged offense
Diminished capacity does not negate all criminal responsibility but argues the defendant could not form the specific intent required for the charged crime.
Which of the following best describes the role of base rates in forensic risk assessment?
Answer: The prevalence of a behavior in the relevant population anchors probability estimates
Base rates—the frequency of the outcome in the reference population—are foundational to interpreting risk scores and estimating absolute probability.