Psychology
Forensic Psychology
The International Centre for Research in Forensic Psychology (ICRFP) has an established international reputation for conducting a broad range of criminological and forensic psychology research. Research in Forensic Psychology has been a cornerstone of the Department of Psychology since 1990 and the Centre now comprises an impressive team of research staff and students.
Our primary aim is to delivery high quality research in Forensic Psychology at both national and international level. Our work has been funded by: ESRC, Home Office, British Academy, Nuffield Foundation, US Government, Leverhulme Trust, British Psychological Society and Prison Service Headquarters. Several members of the Centre regularly serve as Expert Witnesses.
Click here to view our latest videos on offender research; witness research and deception research.
Current Staff
| Members | PhD Students | Contact Information |
| Dr Claire Nee (Director) Dr James Sauer (Deputy Director) Professor Aldert Vrij Dr Lucy Akehurst Dr Dee Anand Dr Hartmut Blank Dr Julie Cherryman Dr Simon Easton Dr Jackie Hillman Dr Anne Hillstrom Dr Lorraine Hope Dr Sharon Leal Dr Samantha Mann Dr Adrian Needs Dr James Ost Dr Dominic Pearson |
Sarah Ewens Gemma Graham Zatta Kougiali Sarah Rohlfing Dominic Shaw Zarah Vernham Lucy Wainwright Katie Woodward |
Dr Claire Nee (Director) claire.nee@port.ac.uk |
Research
The expertise of our in-house centre members includes:
Intervention with offenders
Innovative ways to predict risk in offending populations; the recovery process in addiction to alcohol and drugs; the development of criminality in young children; Social climate as a mediator of adjustment and response to therapeutic interventions in custodial settings; Processes involved in personal change.
Detecting deception
Verbal and nonverbal detection of deception; Polygraph; Criteria based content analysis; Malingering in medico-legal contexts.
Witness memory and suggestibility
Eyewitness testimony; Earwitness testimony; Eyewitness identification; Child witnesses; Tools and interventions for improving witness performance; Eyewitness metacognition; Hindsight bias; Memory conformity; False memory
Decision making in the forensic context
The thought processes involved in malevolent creativity; understanding decision-making in security settings such as when attending to airport X-ray footage of CCTV; Investigative interviews with vulnerable witnesses and suspects; Burglars' decision-making; Jury decision-making; Contextual influences on homicide; Stereotypes and prejudice.
ICFRP Research Days
On research days, ICFRP members (in house staff/research personnel/post-grad students) get together to discuss our ongoing research and research plans. The day ends with one of our external members updating us on their work. Recent presentations have been given by Dr Dan Wright, Prof Graham Towl and Prof Tony Ward. These days provide an excellent opportunity for everyone to become familiar and keep up-to-date with the broad range of research we undertake.
ICFRP Conferences
The Centre also hosts conferences for professionals, academics and students. Our recent conferences include BPS Division of Forensic Psychology annual conference - June 2011 The major theme of the conference was ‘Fighting Violence’. In April 2008 Prof Kathy Pezdek (Claremont Graduate University, California) delivered the keynote address at the "Aiding child witnesses: Lessons from forensic psychology" conference. Previous keynote addresses have been given by Prof Saul Kassin, Prof Mary McMurran, Prof Richard Wright and Prof James McGuire.
Members of the Centre external to the University
The Centre has an advisory panel to ensure the validity and integrity of its research. It comprises senior officials and practitioners from the Home Office, police, probation and prisons, and a group of nationally and internationally renowned academics. We also have several associate members who work closely with us from other parts of the University and other academic and professional institutions. A full list of our external members can be found in our brochure, which can be downloaded by following the link below.
Teaching
Centre members contribute to the teaching and supervision of students on the following courses:
BSc (Hons) Psychology (British Psychological Society accredited)
BSc (Hons) Forensic Psychology (British Psychological Society accredited)
MSc Forensic Psychology (British Psychological Society accredited)
MSc Child Forensic Studies: Psychology and Law (distance learning for professionals in the field)
PhD in Psychology
Further information
Download a copy of our latest brochure.