Introduction
Forensic psychology is a vital field that applies psychological principles and methods to legal and judicial contexts. Professionals in this industry can work in various environments, such as courts, prisons, and other justice system institutions. Additionally, such professionals may be called to testify on the specifics of certain instances.
It is necessary to expedite the investigation and gain a more detailed understanding of the psychological portrait of the suspects. The role of forensic psychology can be illustrated by the case of Chris Watts of Colorado, who killed his wife and two daughters. It is important to disassemble the various elements of forensic psychology that could significantly impact the trial process.
Case Summary
The case under consideration must be studied in detail to determine which forensic psychology methods were applied reliably and effectively. Chris Watts was a 33-year-old man who lived in Frederick, Colorado, with his wife Shanann and their two young daughters (Christiansen, 2021). In 2018, Shanann Watts and her daughters were reported missing, and Chris claimed he did not know where they had gone (Almela, 2019).
However, the police conducted a series of investigations during which they managed to find out from Chris that he had killed them. This happened in the house where the family lived, and later, he took his wife’s body to the oil field to cover his tracks. Bella and Celeste were also killed by Chris and had their bodies placed in oil containers by him at his place of work (Almela, 2019).
Colorado law enforcement, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, conducted the investigation. After the publicity, the murders gained wide publicity due to the resonance of the case. Chris was charged with several murders and carrying out illegal manipulations with the bodies of the dead. After the trial, he was found guilty and received a life sentence.
Elements of Forensic Psychology
Expert Testimony
Various elements of forensic psychology are essential in investigating serious crimes, as it is crucial to draw up an accurate psychological portrait of the suspect to predict their actions. Experts can significantly contribute to the investigation by profiling and psychologically assessing individuals, as this helps to understand the perpetrator’s thought process (Bergkamp et al., 2023). One of the essential elements of this type of psychology is expert testimony. During a trial, the prosecution usually calls on several human experts who can testify about the psychological profile.
One such witness in the Chris Watts case was Dr. Richard K. Rappaport, a forensic psychiatrist (Almela, 2019). His testimony became valuable in the context of what he explained, as the concepts of psychopathy could be applied to the defendant. One of the crucial characteristics of this behavior is the lack of empathy for people and impulsive behavior. In this regard, it was concluded that Chris Watts exhibited many of the symptoms of the disorder as he did not react to the murder of his wife and children (Berezowski et al., 2022). Thus, relying on these facts, the jury could better understand the offender’s behavior and deliver a fair verdict.
Criminal Profiling
Another important aspect of forensic psychology is profiling, which enables a deeper understanding of a person’s actions and motives. This element encompasses several crucial components, including examining evidence—particularly at the crime scene—allowing specialists to create a psychological profile of the suspect, which enables them to anticipate their behavior more accurately (Bergkamp et al., 2023). In the early stages, this can compile a list of suspects whose appearance in the traces found could be identified.
Offender profiling played a crucial role in the capture of Chris Watts, as the compilation of this document helped law enforcement narrow down the suspects and focus on the primary targets. Identifying potential criminals is one of the processes that can significantly expedite the progress of a case and indicate the degree of its success (Berezowski et al., 2022). Analysis of the killer’s behavior pattern allowed the police to find out essential details, such as that the victims were intimately familiar with the killer. Thus, it demonstrates how the circle of suspects has narrowed significantly due to this element of forensic psychology.
One of the critical principles of profiling is that the accurate establishment of general information about the offender’s identity can provide sufficient evidence about his motives and plans for the future. One such suggestion regarding the Chris Watts case was that he might have killed his family to start a new life and have another wife and children. Such an assumption seemed logical, given that the perpetrator is a psychopath who does not understand human emotions and is not capable of empathy (Bergkamp et al., 2023). In addition, Chris had an affair with another woman not long before he committed the murders, which provided additional support for this theory. Profiling is based on analyzing the key points of the criminal’s actions that accurately and clearly reflect their nature and behavior.
Psychological Evaluation
Forensic psychology also includes an essential element, such as psychological evaluation. This is necessary to analyze, conduct laboratory tests, and make a general conclusion regarding the defendant’s mental health. This element is necessary for a clearer understanding of the killer’s motives, making it possible to start proceedings (Bergkamp et al., 2023).
In the case of Chris Watts, this evaluation was carried out by Dr. John F. Alastair, whose specialty was mental personality disorders. After an evaluation and collection of symptoms and tests, it was concluded that the defendant had an Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) (Berezowski et al., 2022). This diagnosis fits Chris as closely as possible, as his manifestations include impulsiveness, disregard for the rights of others, and a complete lack of remorse. The assessment helped reveal the psychological state of Chris in detail and provided the prosecution with substantial evidence in favor of the defendant’s guilt.
Literature Review
Incorporating additional literature is a valuable tool in forensic psychology as it helps to explore the issue further. Since some of the data obtained by other investigation elements, such as witness statements, may be outdated or inaccurate, additional research may be required. In such cases, it is essential to collect sufficient data that may relate directly or indirectly to the case. Including sources of additional information may be helpful in some cases, as they may provide specific details related to the qualification of the offense. For example, in the case under consideration, Chris Watts is a psychopath, which required the involvement of a qualified psychiatrist for a more thoughtful analysis. Thus, a more objective verdict can be made by studying the additional data specialists provide.
Summary
Forensic psychology encompasses various aspects that can aid investigators in determining the circumstances of an incident and identifying the perpetrator. In this case, eyewitness testimony is data provided by people directly affected by the incident. They can discuss what they saw to add more essential details to the investigation (Bergkamp et al., 2023). Such testimony became a crucial factor in the investigation into the Chris Watts case.
In this way, many of his acquaintances reported that they noticed how old he was behaving and constantly lying about the fact that his wife and children had left. In addition, information was established that Chris lied to law enforcement about his whereabouts on the day of the murder to hide the truth and create an alibi for himself. However, this method has one significant drawback: witness statements can be unreliable and untrue due to their potential bias or prejudice.
Conclusion
In conclusion, forensic psychology is a vital and integral component of the investigation, as it helps to gather more detailed information in the case. This can happen due to the competent implementation of several tools of this psychology, such as profiling, expert testimony, psychological evaluation, incorporating additional literature, and eyewitness testimony. All of them played an essential role in the capture and prosecution of Chris Watts, who killed his wife and two young daughters.
The information gathered and presented to the court through these tools had a significant impact on how the case progressed. Understanding the actions that led to the murder is one of the main elements in finding the perpetrator. A large amount of data can be obtained using voice methods.
References
Almela, Á. (2019). Real eyes realize real lies (or maybe not): The thrilling study of deception and some tools for its detection. Universidad de Alicante. Web.
Berezowski, V., Moffat, I., Shendryk, Y., MacGregor, D., Ellis, J., & Mallett, X. (2022). A multidisciplinary approach to locating clandestine gravesites in cold cases: Combining geographic profiling, LiDAR, and near surface geophysics. Forensic Science International: Synergy, 5. Web.
Bergkamp, J., McIntyre, K. A., & Hauser, M. (2023). An uncomfortable tension: Reconciling the principles of forensic psychology and cultural competency. Law and Human Behavior, 47(1), 233. Web.
Christiansen, T. W. (2021). Linguistics and deception detection (DD): a work in progress. Studies in Logic, Grammar and Rhetoric, 66(2), 169-200. Web.