Question 1

What is notable about the 2003 Supreme Court decision in Sell v.United States?

Accepted Answer

A)   It ruled that criminal defendants with mental illness may be involuntarily medicated if they pose a danger to self or others.
B)   It ruled that criminal defendants with mental illness may be involuntarily medicated for the purpose of making them competent to stand trial.
C)   It ruled that criminal defendants with mental illness may be involuntarily medicated if it is in their own best interests.
D)   more than one of the above B

Question 2

Dr.Beatty,a forensic psychologist,has been contacted to serve as an expert witness for an upcoming court case.How will it be determined whether her testimony is admissible in court?

Accepted Answer

A)   Her testimony will be admissible if she possesses all the necessary credentials (doctoral degree from an accredited program, postdoctoral training, board certification) .
B)   Her testimony will be admissible if it is generally accepted by others in her professional field.
C)   Her testimony will be admissible if it is generally accepted by others in her own and other related professional fields (e.g., psychiatry) .
D)   Her testimony will be admissible if the trial judge deems it to be relevant and valid. D

Question 3

What is true of eyewitness testimony?

Accepted Answer

A)   It has been a powerful factor in the conviction of countless people over the years.
B)   It is often unreliable and inaccurate.
C)   both of the above
D)   neither of the above C

Question 4

Describe at least three roles a forensic psychologist may play as a consultant to a trial attorney,making sure to highlight a couple issues relating to each role.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe at least three roles a forensic...

Question 5

Who can petition the court for an examination of someone they believe requires commitment?

Accepted Answer

A)   anyone
B)   only the police
C)   only the patient's family
D)   only the patient's family or close associates

Question 6

The 1908 book On the Witness Stand was written by

Accepted Answer

A)   Hugo von Munsterberg.
B)   David Bazelon.
C)   John Wigmore.
D)   Lewis Terman.

Question 7

Research on jury behavior suggests that

Accepted Answer

A)   when the judge writes instructions in active rather than passive sentences and elaborates on abstractions like "reasonable doubt," jurors tend to apply the law with greater accuracy than they do otherwise.
B)   a defendant who is found guilty on several individual criminal charges tends to receive harsher verdicts than a defendant who is found guilty on a single indictment that joins all charges.
C)   the impact of the testimony of "dislikable" witnesses is similar to the impact of the testimony of "likable" witnesses.
D)   none of the above

Question 8

Tommy was caught trying to steal a car,and now that he is in custody,he has been accused of stealing multiple cars in the area over the last three weeks.In his defense,Tommy says that he knows stealing cars is wrong,but that he can't help himself from stealing them because of his bipolar disorder.Assuming that what he is saying is true,under which standard below would Tommy be considered "insane"?

Accepted Answer

A)   ALI
B)   Durham
C)   M'Naghten rule
D)   any of the above

Question 9

Which of the following is true regarding lay witnesses and expert witnesses?

Accepted Answer

A)   A lay witness, unlike an expert witness, can offer opinions or inferences.
B)   An expert witness, unlike a lay witness, can offer opinions or inferences.
C)   Both lay witnesses and expert witnesses can offer opinions or inferences.
D)   Neither lay witnesses nor expert witnesses can offer opinions or inferences.

Question 10

___________ was defined by the U.S.Supreme Court as "...sufficient present ability to consult with his [sic] attorney with a reasonable degree of rational understanding and whether he has a rational as well as factual understanding of the proceedings against him."

Accepted Answer

A)   Competency to stand trial
B)   Criminal insanity
C)   Involuntary commitment
D)   Legal intellectual capacity

Question 11

Which of the following is true regarding competency to stand trial?

Accepted Answer

A)   It is possible for a defendant to have been insane when the crime was committed but later be competent to stand trial.
B)   It is possible for a defendant to have been sane when the crime was committed but later be incompetent to stand trial.
C)   both of the above
D)   neither of the above

Question 12

Insanity

Accepted Answer

A)   is a medical/psychiatric term, rather than a legal one.
B)   pleas are often successful.
C)   pleas are less common than questions about competency to stand trial.
D)   none of the above

Question 13

Appropriately qualified psychologists were first authorized to testify in court as experts on mental disorder in

Accepted Answer

A)   1942.
B)   1962.
C)   1976.
D)   1990.

Question 14

Ashlee,who is wrapping up her undergraduate degree in psychology,is interested in becoming a forensic psychologist.ALL BUT WHICH of the following options are available to her (and others like her)for graduate training in this area?

Accepted Answer

A)   doctoral psychology programs with a law emphasis
B)   master's programs in psychology with a law emphasis
C)   joint programs that award both law and psychology degrees
D)   All of the above training options are available to Ashlee and others.

Question 15

Identify at least three rights of hospitalized mental patients.Identify at least one additional right over which hospital personnel tend to exercise much discretion.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Identify at least three rights of hospitalized...

Question 16

In jury "shadowing,"

Accepted Answer

A)   jury members undergo psychological evaluations by the consulting forensic psychologist to determine their motivations regarding the outcome of the trial.
B)   the consulting forensic psychologist speaks directly with jurors during breaks in the trial.
C)   the consulting forensic psychologist hires individuals similar to the jurors and monitors their reactions to the testimony as it is presented during the trial.
D)   the consulting forensic psychologist hires individuals similar to the jurors and obtains their reactions to the arguments that will be presented by the attorneys during the actual trial.

Question 17

The famous Hinckley case (regarding the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan)resulted in

Accepted Answer

A)   more states placing the burden of proving the defendant's insanity on the defense, rather than requiring the prosecution to prove the defendant's sanity.
B)   the removal of the verdict "Guilty but Mentally Ill" from many state and federal statutes.
C)   a return to the ALI standard for criminal insanity.
D)   none of the above

Question 18

What is the significance of the 1993 Supreme Court decision in Daubert v.Merrell Dow?

Accepted Answer

A)   It changed the criteria for the admissibility of expert testimony.
B)   It narrowed the scope of the opinions that may be offered by expert witnesses.
C)   It broadened the scope of the opinions that may be offered by lay witnesses.
D)   more than one of the above

Question 19

In the 1990s,a subcommittee was appointed by the American Psychology-Law Society and Division 41 of the American Psychological Association to review scientific evidence regarding eyewitness testimony.According to the subcommittee's recommendations,a person who conducts the lineup or photo spread in a case

Accepted Answer

A)   should know the identity of the suspect.
B)   should tell the eyewitness that the suspect in the case appears in the lineup or photo spread.
C)   should ensure that the suspect doesn't stand out from the others in either appearance or dress.
D)   all of the above

Question 20

Relative to individuals without a mental disorder diagnosis,a history of violence is especially common among individuals with _____ disorders.

Accepted Answer

A)   anxiety
B)   learning
C)   mood
D)   substance use

Exam 19: Forensic Psychology