Discussion Questions

Please answer the following questions with 250- 300 words and Provide 1-2 peer-reviewed sources to support your claims.

1. What is an example of psychological “syndrome” that may be introduced as evidence by a forensic psychologist? In what situations might using this psychological “syndrome” be valid or not? Explain using scholarly support.

2. When is enough, enough? Should we put caps on people’s ability to raise psychological issues as court defenses? Use scholarly resources to support your explanation.

3. Now that we have the scientific technology to alter people’s genes, should society allow for the alteration of human genes to eliminate criminal predispositions or to improve upon desirable traits? Use scholarly resources to support your explanations. Access and read the GCU Statement on the Integration of Faith and Work. How might a person with the Christian worldview feel about altering human genes to eliminate criminal predispositions or to improve desirable traits?

4. Should those with neurological and genetic disorders be treated differently by the legal system because of their disorders? If we created a society free of genetic disorder through gene therapy and control, how would that effect the operation of the criminal justice system? Would that remove the defenses based upon biological predisposition to crime? Use scholarly resources to support your explanations.

5. Identify three environmental hazards that link to aggressive or violent behaviors. Explain how they are linked to the behavior. Use scholarly resources to support your explanations.

6. If the government is aware that sociological conditions create criminality, does this mean that the government has a greater imperative to stop sociological conditions of criminality? Use scholarly resources to support your explanations.

7. Describe two kinds of brain dysfunctions possibly linked to psychopaths. Can these dysfunctions be treated? If so, what methods may be most effective? Use scholarly resources to support your explanations.

8. Describe some common misconceptions about psychopaths. Why might it be important to clear up these misconceptions in the general public? Use scholarly resources to support your explanations.

9. Most murderers are neither serial killers nor mass murderers. How are we able to combat the problem of murder when a person may kill only one time? What type of psychological problems may lead someone to kill? Use scholarly resources to support your explanations.

10. The criminal justice system provides very long, lifetime, or death sentence to those convicted of murder. Are these harsh and punishments appropriate for the crime of murder? Are there alternative punishments for murders that do not include long incarceration periods or death? Use scholarly resources to support your explanations.

11. Sexual deviance, oftentimes, may be considered odd by our society, but being considered odd does not necessarily equal criminality. Should we consider sexual deviance to be more of a social- or justice-related issue? Use scholarly resources to support explanations.

12. Some forms of sexual deviancy are considered criminal, such as pedophilia. Is this form of sexual deviance driven more from psychological or physical desire? Can such pedophilia be properly treated? How should a pedophile be treated in the justice system? Use scholarly resources to support explanations.

13. Consider groups like Alcoholics Anonymous. Do such groups provide adequate solutions to people’s alcohol- or drug-related problems? Why or why not? Use scholarly resources to support your explanation. After reading the GCU Statement on the Integration of Faith and Works, select a group with Christian beliefs that assists people dealing with substance abuses. Explain how the Christian worldview influences the solutions offered by the group. Explain the effectiveness of the group.

14. Different drugs seem to come in and out of vogue with the substance using public. For instance, meth was the "drug of choice" for many years for substance users. Heroin is making a significant resurgence. Can theories of psychopathology explain the trends in popularity in illegal drugs? Use scholarly resources to support your explanation.

15. What advancements in the field of psychology that have occurred in the last 10 years have you found to be most interesting or startling? Can or does this advancement apply to the field of psychopathology? Use scholarly resources to support your explanations.

16. One solution for deviant or criminal behavior that continues to be developed is the treatment of mental illness with medications. Why are these medications treated as cure-alls rather than remedying the underlying psychological issues? Should we continue to pursue drugs as solutions to psychological conditions? Is there a negative aspect to our dependence on medications in our society? Use scholarly resources to support your explanations.