Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology 

About: Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology is an academic journal published by Taylor & Francis. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Mental health & Population. It has an ISSN identifier of 1478-9949. Over the lifetime, 1035 publications have been published receiving 17575 citations. The journal is also known as: Journal of forensic psychiatry and psychology.

Eye-movements reduce the vividness, emotional valence and electrodermal arousal associated with negative autobiographical memories

Abstract: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of eye-movements on subjective and psychophysiological measures of arousal and distress associated with positive and negative autobiographical memories. These memories were ‘brought-to-mind’ whilst engaging in eye-movement or eyes-stationary conditions in a counterbalanced within subjects design, with pre and post eye-condition subjective ratings of emotional valence and image vividness. Participants also rated current symptomatology associated with negative memories using the Impact of Events Scale. Engagement in eye-movements compared to the eyes-stationary condition resulted in significant reductions on measures of vividness and emotional valence for both positive and negative autobiographical memories. Reductions in electrodermal arousal were only observed when engaging in eye-movements following elicitation of the negative memory. This effect was observed independently of symptom severity.

Shame, guilt, and remorse: implications for offender populations

Abstract: The emotions shame and guilt may represent a critical stepping stone in the rehabilitation process. Often referred to as ‘moral’ emotions owing to their presumed role in promoting altruistic behavior and inhibiting antisocial behaviors, shame and guilt provide potentially exciting points of intervention with offenders. In this article, we describe current psychological theory and research that underscores important differences between shame and guilt. We note parallels between psychologists’ conceptions of guilt and shame, and criminologists’ conceptions of reintegrative and disintegrative shaming. We summarize recent research investigating the implications of these moral emotions for criminal and risky behavior, with special emphasis on the handful of studies conducted with actual offenders. We conclude with a discussion of implications for treatment in criminal justice settings.

Murder by numbers: monetary costs imposed by a sample of homicide offenders

Abstract: Prior research on the monetary costs of criminal careers has neglected to focus on homicide offenders and tended to minimize the public costs associated with crime. Drawing on expanded monetization estimates produced by Cohen and Piquero, this study assessed the monetary costs for five crimes (murder, rape, armed robbery, aggravated assault, and burglary) imposed by a sample of (n = 654) convicted and incarcerated murderers. The average cost per murder exceeded $17.25 million and the average murderer in the current sample posed costs approaching $24 million. The most violent and prolific offenders singly produced costs greater than $150–160 million in terms of victim costs, criminal justice costs, lost offender productivity, and public willingness-to-pay costs.

Can pedophiles be reached for primary prevention of child sexual abuse? First results of the Berlin Prevention Project Dunkelfeld (PPD)

Abstract: The Berlin Prevention Project Dunkelfeld (PPD) aims to prevent child sexual abuse (CSA) by targeting men who fear they may sexually abuse children, and who seek help without being mandated to do so. This article aims to demonstrate that a pedophilic or hebephilic sexual preference is very common among these men, to show how these men can be reached, and to document their determination to find help. The target group was informed of the project and encouraged to respond via a media campaign. A telephone screening was conducted over the first 18 months. Of the 286 who completed the screening (60.1% of the respondents), 84.3% (N = 241) were interviewed by a clinician. Of the interviewees, 57.7% (N = 139) and 27.8% (N = 67) expressed a sexual preference for prepubescent and pubescent minors, respectively, and 10.8% (N = 26) for mature adults. The remaining 3.7% (N = 9) could not be reliably categorized. As (potential) child molesters with a respective sexual preference can be reached via a media campaign, effo...

Personality disorders, psychopathy and other mental disorders: co-morbidity among patients at English and Scottish high-security hospitals

Abstract: Mental health legislation in Britain has traditionally encouraged a distinctionbetweenpersonality disordered andmentally ill offenders, butresearchon co-morbidity indicates that few patients exhibit an Axis I or an Axis II disorder in isolation. This study compared male high-security hospital patients in the English Mental Health Act categories of psychopathic disorder (n=54) and mental illness (n=61) and the Scottish legal category of mental disorder (n = 60), using structured instruments to assess personality disorders, psychopathy and Axis I disorders. The mental illness and psychopathic disorder categories were not differentiated by personality disorders, psychopathy, or Axis I disorders, except for more lifetime drug abuse and more lifetime and current psychosis among the mentally ill. A majority of patients with mental disorder under Scottish legislation also exhibited personality disorders. Grouping by primary clinical diagnosis of personality disorder or mental illness produced few differences on ...