Forensic Psychology Portrayed in the Media
Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, created by Dick Wolf, is a television show that follows detectives who work towards investigating and solving sexually based crimes (CTV WEBSITE source 1). Season 14 episode 19 called “Born Psychopath” follows a wealthy family of four whose ten year old son, Henry, begins tormenting his family and neighbors within his building (NETFLIX, SOURCE 2). Forensic psychology is “the practice of psychology within or in conjunction with either or both sides of the legal system- criminal and civil” (TEXTBOOK QUOTE, FIND). The episode depicts forensic psychology both accurately and inaccurately through assessment of the suspect, symptoms of psychopathy, and the treatments for psychopathy. …show more content…
The show did not show the in depth and thorough process of interviews, as well as lengthy tests and observations that would need to be conducted over a much longer period of time then was displayed in the episode. Also, with Henry being a youth, the PCL that should have been conducted would be the PCL: YV, but this was not stated by the forensic psychologist within the episode (TEXTBOOK).
Henry displays many of the common signs of psychopathy within the episode of Law and Order. Throughout the episode he continually displays little to no emotions towards his family, including his mother, father and sister (NETFLIX). He displays aggression towards his family by pushing his sister down the stairs within their home as well as slicing his mother hand open with a large kitchen knife (NETFLIX). Towards the end of the episode he begins to turn his aggression towards his friends within the building, retrieving a gun and holding it to a little boys head in the buildings play room
Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, created by Dick Wolf, is a television show that follows detectives who work towards investigating and solving sexually based crimes (CTV WEBSITE source 1). Season 14 episode 19 called “Born Psychopath” follows a wealthy family of four whose ten year old son, Henry, begins tormenting his family and neighbors within his building (NETFLIX, SOURCE 2). Forensic psychology is “the practice of psychology within or in conjunction with either or both sides of the legal system- criminal and civil” (TEXTBOOK QUOTE, FIND). The episode depicts forensic psychology both accurately and inaccurately through assessment of the suspect, symptoms of psychopathy, and the treatments for psychopathy. …show more content…
The show did not show the in depth and thorough process of interviews, as well as lengthy tests and observations that would need to be conducted over a much longer period of time then was displayed in the episode. Also, with Henry being a youth, the PCL that should have been conducted would be the PCL: YV, but this was not stated by the forensic psychologist within the episode (TEXTBOOK).
Henry displays many of the common signs of psychopathy within the episode of Law and Order. Throughout the episode he continually displays little to no emotions towards his family, including his mother, father and sister (NETFLIX). He displays aggression towards his family by pushing his sister down the stairs within their home as well as slicing his mother hand open with a large kitchen knife (NETFLIX). Towards the end of the episode he begins to turn his aggression towards his friends within the building, retrieving a gun and holding it to a little boys head in the buildings play room