Class Criminal Psychology and Punitive Severity

This uc aims to familiarize students with psychocriminal knowledge and specific literature of Criminal Psychology, interconnecting with Criminology. At the same time, it provides knowledge about the major constructs of Psychology operative in the field of crime, its control, and on punitive severity.

Not applicable

Historical-epistemological framework. Conceptualization, object and methods. Relationship of Criminal Psychology with Criminal Law and Criminology. Psychological acceptance of crime. The decoding function of transgressive behaviors that belongs to Criminal Psychology. Criminal Profiling: notion; operationalization; practical applications. Criminality and psychological approach: characters of the penalty. Criminal Psychology and the subject's radioscopic view. Crime and exclusion: two ways? Psychological autopsy: notion, legal framework and method. Psychological approach to crime.   Joint attributions of criminologists and criminal psychologists in the judicial context: complementarity. Punitive severity: notion, object and scope. Articulation with the psychologization of decisions. Severity assessment: instruments and method of work. Application of instruments: adult and young populations. Severity and social stratification; genre. The advantages of measuring penalties. Practical cases.  

The expository method will be combined, preferably in theoretical classes, with the presentation of real cases in practical classes, encouraging students to debate. Using existing protocols and informal agreements, study visits will be conducted both to criminal courts (fruit of a protocol with the Judicial Court of the District of Lisbon), and to educational centers and commissions for the protection of children and young people, with which we have collaborated for two decades, as well as with the Portuguese Bar Association and the Center for Judicial Studies. Assessment will be divided into the following elements: attendance and participation in theoretical, practical, and theoretical-practical classes (30%); attendance at all sessions designated by the professors (attendance must be recorded) (10%); and attendance at a test (60%). For the purposes of weighting the assessment, paragraph (b) requires attendance at all sessions designated by the professors, with a maximum of three.

Almeida, F. (Coord.) Et Al. (2012). Profiling, Vitimologia e Ciências Forenses Lisboa: Pactor. Barroso, R. & Neto, D. (Coord.) (2020). A prática profissional da psicologia na justiça. Lisboa, Portugal: Ordem dos Psicólogos Portugueses.  Durrant, R. (2013). An Introduction to Criminal Psychology. NY: Routledge. Hollin, C. (2013). Psychology and Crime: An Introduction to Criminological Psychology. NY: Routledge. Pinheiro, M. F. (Coord.) (2013). Ciências Forenses ao Serviço da Justiça Lisboa: Pactor. Poiares, C. A. & Echauri, J. A. (2022). Violência e Justiça no século XXI: Desafios da Psicologia Forense .Apuro Cultural. Poiares, C. A. & Branco, F. (2021). Severidade penalizadora: a construção de um instrumento de medida. Coimbra e luzes – Revista da Direção-Geral de Reinserção e Serviços Prisionais, 5, 139-162. Sani, A., & Nunes, L. (Coord.) (2014) Crime, Justiça e Sociedade: Desafios emergentes e propostas multidisciplinares. Porto: CRIAP.