The British Psychologists Society - Essay Example

Running Head: Portfolio Forensic Psychology Course Title Name Name of instructor Date of Submission The second phase of the British Psychologists Society is the BPS Diploma. This stage is spread over a period of two years and involves practical approach of the training in forensic psychology training. The candidates undertake a series of work placements aimed at evaluating and reviewing their performance in a more real manner. As per the career description of forensic psychologist, complete analysis of a criminal behavior needs to be done by a fully competent person. Therefore, engaging the candidates in an extensive and thorough training equips them with the relevant skills required to interpret the occurrences surrounding a criminal act. The diploma course which succeeds the masters program adopts a research perspective to forensic psychology. Introduction to the course involves a brief study on research methodologies followed by basic introduction to statistical research. By so doing, the students get an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the actual practices underpinning the career. For example a student who chooses to research on a violent crime will have a broadened knowledge on the procedures involved in such a court issue such as forming links between a particular mental disorder and the violent crime (Buchanan, 2002). The study is aimed at development of an understanding on the impacts of a court proceeding on the offender, the victim and the community at large. The students are expected to get to the bottom line of the case and allow them to have a deeper understand of exactly what led to the commitment of the offence. To accomplish this, the student has to draw a plan of events on how to conduct the investigation on a daily basis. The plan should be prepared in a systematic manner so as to avoid incompetence’s and wastage of time. The training instills a sense of responsibility to the student since they are required to carry out the tasks without a lecturer’s supervision (Buchanan, 2002). Due to the lack of reading materials and assistance from lecturer’s, a requirement for independent route students, students are motivated to take optimum advantage in understanding the course contents in their just concluded masters program and ensure adequate mastery of the contents. Prior to undertaking the diploma course, qualified candidates should have detailed information on the competencies they are expected to develop as well as demonstrate these competencies and show professionalism (Carson and Bull, 2003). The forensic psychologists are expected to work in collaboration with other professionals in the wider population and organizations in different contexts and settings. They are to gain knowledge in addition to skills and be able to apply them in relation in legal and judicial processes. The main aim of the course is to provide a framework for the training to ensure that the right candidates qualify for the awards and be able to effectively and efficiently as forensic psychologists. In order to attain this, the student has core rules and competencies that are required. To begin with, the learner is expected to conduct psychological applications and applications. This is aimed at the production of visible in an individual in operational and organizational functioning. This will require the learner to identify, explore and formulate relevant issues and objectives that are aimed at achieving of working collaborations, relationships and viable methods in the evaluation of efficacy. This will require adequate direction and involvement of other personnel. The attainment of the required skills in this area will be visible in the way the learner will perform in the assessments, how the learner will treat the offenders and the support that the learner will offer to the staff in areas of assisting in investigations and operational research. Through this the learner is expected to exhibit skills in the identification, evaluation, prioritizing and planning of the needs and expectations. This will include the identification and prioritization of the client’s needs. The leaner should be able to identify and be able to compose measures that are able to prioritize the needs and identify the possible form of conventions. The learner is also expected to consult a wide range of resources and data and formulate hypothesis and objectives that will be able to meet the needs of the relevant organizations or individuals (Carson and Bull, 2003). Secondly, the learner is expected to skillfully design, conduct, perform an analysis and evaluate applied psychological research in a forensic setting. This involves the learner to skillfully generate ideas on a specific research and form research questions. In addition, the learner is to be able to define parameters and sources that are necessary for the performance of a research. It is also the learner’s duty to be able to define and identify appropriate tools that are able to help him perform a formidable research. This includes the making negotiations that are required for the student to perform a research, collection of relevant data, use of appropriate methodology in the analyzing and interpretation of data and being able to give recommendations and solutions to a defined problem (Maguire et al., 2002). Verifiable indications in the success of the exercise include the ability of the learner to develop psychological tools and methods in addition to being able to design and evaluate a systematic management program. The learner will be able to be guidance in the application areas as well as the identification of the perspectives and issues using the information that is readily available. In addition to this, the learner will be given the assistance in the search for the relevant literature that will be summarized and evaluated. Through this, the learner will be able to identify the research objectives and the scope of the research that had been proposed. The defining of the population is necessary as this will be able to make the researcher make justifiable collection of data that will enable him/her to give adequate and accurate data. This will be part of the research guidance the learner will be able to receive as he attempts to design the activities that entail a psychological research. Moreover, the learner will be able to be given guidance in the conducting of research activities. This will involve decision making, negotiating, discussions and making of conclusive agreements (Maguire et al., 2002). Thirdly, the learner will be able to get adequate psychological knowledge in order to give relevant advice to other professionals in different or similar fields of expertise. The emphasis on this is on the application of communication skills that are appropriate to be able to form an influence that is constructive and psychologically based within a contemporary system. The areas through which the learner is to get insight include the aspects of the strategy that could be effectively utilized in investigation, service delivery design, regime development and providing court evidence among others. The competencies that encompass this role include the contribution of awareness for contribution through which the psychological applications can be made. In addition, the learner will be able to gain knowledge on how to offer psychological advice that is aimed at the assisting in the problem solving and decision making skills. Through this the psychologist is able to identify the appropriate opportunities and requirements that are adequate for the provision of advice on matters that are at hand. The advice given should be based on information that is current and accurate with the utilization of reliable and accurate evidence. The evidence should be targeted, be communicated in an appropriate manner, ethical and have the needs and has to be in the same viewpoint with the client. Good practice also requires the psychologist to be able to advice on the consequences which have to be evaluated way in time (Partington, 2006). The psychologist should be able to spend considerable and adequate time I the preparation of reports for the court purposes or for other purposes apart from the court. This will enable him to prepare adequately and skillfully arrange the presentation of evidence in a formal setting. Testimonial evidence is best presented if the psychologist takes ample time to prepare for it in good time. This will enable him/her to be able to analyze the evidence to be presented and identify the gaps that would exist in them. Moreover the more preparation of evidence will be able to make the psychologist to be mindful of the pitfalls that might await him in the adversarial or formal settings (Partington, 2006). The psychologists may also witness the growth incompetency in the responding to requests that are informal and require psychological information. A psychologist is able to gauge that he is achieving integration if he/she is able to get informal requests for information. It is the duty of the psychologist to be able to deal with such requests with haste and this should be made in full awareness of the client’s needs and understanding. The psychologist should also be able to provide feedback to the clients or the agency that sought for his/her assistance. Feedback is essential as it shows the process of the matter at hand. The psychologist is to be able to find appropriate roots and mechanisms through which he is to give feedback. This should always be based on clear assessments while bearing in mind the client’s needs and capabilities. The leaner is able to learn the best possible way of delivering the feedback while at the same time delivering it comprehensively with scheduling, observation and evaluation (Wortley, 2002). In conclusion, the psychologist is made knowledgeable and is able to practice the psychological knowledge by imparting it in to channels and avenues that are mostly in need of it. This can best be done through capacity building of other professionals or organs that seem to be in need of it. The psychologist has to evaluate the organ or institution that requires the need so as to be able constructively identify their gaps and plan for the appropriate modes through which the knowledge of such organs can be increased. This can be achieved better through the planning and identification of the anticipated and expected goals and objectives (Carson and Bull, 2003). In addition, the psychologist has to have the knowledge of planning, designing and implementation of the training programs. It is also vital for the psychologist to be able to know the importance of the evaluation and the feedback process in a training process as this is able to help him/her gauge whether there was an increase in knowledge or not. References Buchanan, A. (Ed.) (2002). Care of the mentally disordered offender in the community. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Carson, D. and Bull, R. (Eds.) (2003). Handbook of psychology in legal contexts. Chichester: John Wiley. Maguire, M., Morgan, R. and Reiner, R. (Eds.) (2002). The Oxford handbook of criminology (3rd ed.). Oxford:Oxford University Press. Partington, M. (2006). Introduction to the English legal system. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Wortley, R. (2002). Situational prison control: Crime prevention in correctional institutions. Cambridge:Cambridge University Press. Read More