Expert psychology in prison surveillance courts

The forensic psychologist can act in many spheres of the judicial world, and one of them is the prison surveillance courts.

Through this article we will try to clarify what is the work of this professional in this specific field, reviewing the different types of situation that may arise and what are the general lines that will always govern his actions when making a report expert.

• Related article: "Legal Psychology: the point of union between Psychology and Law"

Expert psychology in prison surveillance courts: what does it consist of?

To understand what expert psychology is in prison surveillance courts, we must first be clear about the role of a forensic psychologist, regardless of the court in which work. This professional will carry out an expert report in order to provide an expert opinion on psychological issues, so that the judge in question has that analysis in order to make an informed decision.

Generally, these reports are requested by the judge himself from the team of psychologists attached to his court. On other occasions, it is the parties involved who hire a private psychologist to carry out their own report and even a counter report, with the aim of trying to show a second opinion from a professional that is in line with their interests.

Expert psychology in prison surveillance courts refers to the work of the expert psychologists in the context of these courts, which would be included within the criminal sphere. Within that branch, they work in judicial processes where a person has received a sentence for which he has been deprived of liberty.

In this scenario, there are several tasks that the forensic psychologist can carry out. We will see it next.

Types of functions within this scope of work

As we anticipated, within the expert psychology in prison surveillance courts, there are several types of forensic reports that may be required by the judge. These are the main ones.

1. Danger and probability of recidivism

One of the first issues in which the expert psychologist will have a special importance in the field of Penitentiary surveillance, as it cannot be otherwise, is the assessment of the dangerousness of the inmates and, in a associated, the probability that he has to reoffend, either with a crime similar to the one that took him to prison or some other kind.

The objective of the deprivation of liberty is not only to punish the individual for the commission of a crime, but also to seek the reintegration, that is, that at the end of his period in prison, he returns to society with certain guarantees that he will not return to commit a crime. For this, a series of internal programs are carried out and there are prison psychologists to carry out personalized follow-ups to inmates.

Unfortunately, the means are very limited, and the reality is that each of these psychologists is assigned the files of several hundred inmates, so the time you can devote to each is rather scarce.

In any case, and returning to the topic at hand, the first task of expert psychology in prison surveillance courts is going to be precisely estimate how likely it is that a person serving a sentence will be able to commit crimes again, based on factors merely psychosocial.

2. Alterations and possible psychopathologies

Another of the important tasks of forensic psychologists in this field will be to carry out the pertinent studies in search of possible psychopathological alterations in the inmate that are interfering with his rehabilitation and against which, therefore, it will be necessary to provide them with resources to be able to improve, both for their own as well as that of the society in which he will be reintegrated when he fulfills the sentence that has been imposed on him.

This role of expert psychology in prison surveillance courts is also of vital importance, since it allows increasing the chances of reintegration of the inmate as well as making him gain in quality of life, assuming that any psychopathology that can be treated is detected and the corresponding treatment is applied to it.

• You may be interested in: "Expert psychology in disability courts: what it is and areas of action"

3. Possibility of probation

When the judge decides to grant or not the regime of probation to an inmate, as long as he complies with the legal requirements for this, it will always do so by evaluating all the information available. And in this information, the work carried out by expert psychologists, who they will assess the mental state of the subject, his behavior and the anticipation that he will commit new crimes or not if he is granted freedom.

Therefore, another of the issues that expert psychology deals with in prison surveillance courts will be to advise the judge, when required, to provide his professional vision about the possible exit from the penitentiary center of a individual.

4. Follow-up after leaving prison

Expert psychology in prison surveillance courts is not only in charge of what happens before and during the stay in prison of an inmate, but the judicial system will also carry out a follow-up after leaving the center penitentiary. As in the previous cases, the work of the expert psychologist will be vital.

It will be in charge of verifying that, indeed, the person has been adequately reintegrated into society and the probabilities of recidivism are not worrying, since it has the necessary protection factors to to be able to find the resources that allow him to act differently from the one that landed him in prison in the past.

5. Grade changes

We saw before that the judge could request a forensic report from the expert psychologist to assess a possible probation. You can also propose a change of grade in the prison regime, going from the second degree (the usual when in prison) to a third, in which daytime exits are generally allowed, provided that certain conditions are met.

But grade changes can be regressive as well. That is, if a person has obtained the third degree, but his conduct does not conform to the requirements of the law (compliance with schedules, good behavior, etc.), the judge could decide that the change has not been opportune and therefore could dictate a regression to the second degree and therefore, his full-time return to the center penitentiary.

6. Exit permits

Although they remain in second grade, there are exit permits that are granted to inmates for a limited time and provided that a series of very strict requirements have been met. But in addition to these conditions, the judge can also use the professional opinion granted by expert psychology in prison surveillance courts.

Therefore, you may request an expert report from the forensic psychologist assessing the appropriateness of granting a certain permit to the inmate in issue, taking into account the factors that we have already seen before, such as the behavior maintained in the penitentiary center, the possibility of recidivism, etc.

In short, the work of the forensic psychologist in this scenario is going to be estimate the probability that the prisoner violates the permit, that is, that he commits a crime during that course or does not comply with the regulations that have been imposed on him (distance, hours and others). If the expert's assessment is negative, it is very likely that the judge will decide not to grant the permit.

How a forensic report is prepared in prison surveillance courts

Although, in general, forensic reports tend to have a similar structure, the specific conditions of expert psychology in prison surveillance courts make these have some characteristics specials.

When the forensic psychologist receives the judge's request, the first thing he should do is consult the file of the specific judicial process to know in depth every last detail of the case. In addition, she will collect all the data provided by the penitentiary in which he is or the institution in charge of his surveillance.

Then she must carry out an examination of the inmate himself, through an interview and the diagnostic tests that he deems appropriate to apply in order to reach informed conclusions. Once he has all the necessary information, he will proceed to write the forensic report that he will deliver to the judge.

The process of expert psychology in prison surveillance courts does not end there, but the The expert must also be in charge of monitoring the entire process to verify that it is carried out without incidents. If you observe any anomaly during it, it will be your duty to let the judge know.

Bibliographic references:

• Amaya, S. (2019). Epistemology and Forensic Psychology: A Practical Guide for Psychologists and Lawyers. Modern Manual.
• Lobo, A., Espinosa, A., Guerrero, A., Ospina, V. (2016). Forensic Psychology in criminal proceedings with an accusatory tendency. Practical guide for psychologists and lawyers.
• Rodríguez, E.E. (2003). Assessment of criminal dangerousness (Risk-Violence) in forensic psychology: Conceptual and historical approach. Legal and forensic clinical psychopathology.