Forensic scientists often need to rely on the tools developed by psychologists. These methods are useful for determining the extent to which defendants can be held accountable for their actions. These methods are required for making the mental diagnosis that will have profound legal implications. However, at the same time, they need to rely on the knowledge of statistics to determine if psychological tests can meet the standards of forensic science. For instance, one can mention such a concept as reliability that can be defined as the consistency and repeatability of the findings (Hersen, 2004, p. 7). In particular, the results of the examination must not contradict one another. Moreover, this measurement tool can be called reliable if, under similar circumstances, it leads to similar results.
Much attention should also be paid to the validity of a test. This criterion is used to determine if this instrument can efficiently measure a psychological attribute of an individual. For instance, one can mention such qualities as intelligence, self-esteem, suicidal behavior, and so forth. In other words, this tool should give accurate insights into the personality of an individual (Hersen, 2004, p. 7). In turn, one should consider the importance of norming sample population. It is a sufficiently large group representing those individuals who may need to take the test.
Overall, these aspects are relevant to such a tool as the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. It is supposed to determine if a person suffers from schizophrenia, paranoia, depression, or other mental diseases (Statistics Solutions, n. d.). This information can profoundly influence the work of different professionals such as prosecutors and attorneys. This method can be applied if it produces consistent or non-contradictive results. So, its reliability should be high. At the same time, this instrument should be suitable for examining the personality of a test-taker. In other words, this tool should accurately measure the degree to which the mental health of this individual is impaired.
Furthermore, while developing this tool, researchers tried to ensure that this instrument could suit the needs of people who could differ in terms of their age, gender, cultural background, education or ethnicity. Thus, one should identify the norming sample of this measurement tool. This step is vital for setting the standards by which the mental health of a person can be evaluated. In this way, psychologists can see the deviations from the norm. These aspects should be considered by forensic scientists.
It should be mentioned that the reliability of this tool ranges from 0.50 to 0.80 (Statistics Solutions, n. d.). Additionally, one should mention that the convergent validity of this method is 0.46. At the same time, the unknown validity of this test is 0.24 (Parker, Hunsley, & Hanson, 1988, p. 370).
Additionally, one should consider the norming sample population of this measurement tool. This method was designed for people representing various age groups such as adolescents, adults, and older people. Moreover, it should suit the needs of both males and females. Moreover, this test can be taken by people who differ in terms of their income level and educational background. Currently, this instrument can be administered to people who do not necessarily speak English. In turn, the size of the norming group is 2600 individuals. Overall, this tool has been widely used to determine if people suffer from any mental disorders that could prevent them from controlling their actions. The results of this examination can strongly influence the decision of various legal professionals, such as judges or parole officers.
Correctional psychologists can act as expert witnesses who can tell the court about the mental problems that an individual could face in the past (Bartol, 2006). Moreover, these professionals can assess the health of a person who has been imprisoned. They should also determine if it is necessary to make any medical interventions. Moreover, the task of a correctional psychologist is to ensure that lawyers and police officers can adequately assess potential dangers that can be posed by a person.
Overall, these professionals should follow a code of ethics. They should focus on the promotion of patients’ health. However, they need to consider the responsibilities that they owe to the community. Therefore, they must inform the court about possible threats that a person can pose to other people. Overall, these medical workers have conflicting loyalties and priorities (Fisher, 2012). In particular, they should concentrate on the needs of patients and the safety of the community. One can mention the following example to illustrate this conflict. For instance, psychologists need to assess the mental state of a person who wants to be released on parole. Such individuals are more likely to recover if they are placed in a non-restrictive environment. However, correctional psychologists should bear in mind that they can endanger the lives of other people (Corriea, 2009). So, they should inform governmental officials about these risks.
Overall, ethical principles should guide the work of correctional physiologists and other professionals who work in such a field as forensic science. These rules enable them to minimize the risks to which a community can be exposed. Furthermore, they are helpful for shielding a person from the unjust persecution.
Reference
Bartol, C. (2006).Current perspectives in forensic psychology and criminal justice. New York, NY: SAGE Publications.
Corriea, K. (2009). A Handbook for Correctional Psychologists: Guidance for the Prison Practitioner. New York, NY: Charles Thomas Publisher.
Fisher, C. (2012). Decoding the Ethics Code: A Practical Guide for Psychologists. New York, NY: SAGE.
Hersen, M. (2004).Comprehensive Handbook of Psychological Assessment, Personality Assessment. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons.
Parker, K., Hunsley, J., & Hanson, K. (1988). MMPI, Rorschach, and WAIS: A meta-analytic comparison of reliability, stability, and validity. Psychological Bulletin, 103(3), 367-373.
Statistics Solutions. (n. d.).Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). Web.