7:16&llll”?e ) 4 Criminal Psychology: Case Studies

Criminal Psychology: Case Studies

Introduction

There is rarely one isolated aspect of a person’s situation that will tell the therapist what treatment option or setting is right for the presenting circumstances. Instead, you need to evaluate the person’s entire situation to assess for the level of care most appropriate for the client.

Choose one of the two case studies presented here as your focus for this week’s assignment and read it carefully in preparation for your work.

Derek

Derek’s Story

Derek is a twenty-year-old, African American patient who is accused of second-degree murder for killing a twenty-one-year-old female (Yvonne) one year ago, and was subsequently certified into a state forensic hospital for further evaluation and treatment while awaiting trial. His counsel intends to allege that he was in a dissociative state, due to possible drug use, when he stabbed the victim to death.

Childhood

Derek is an only child. From the age of five, his teachers and parents noted undue aggression, distractibility, and a lack of concentration. By his own admission, he was impulsive, acted out, and experienced temper tantrums three to four times per week. At school and at home his temper problems continued and he was described at school as “a bully with no friends.” His parents noted that around the age of nine, they began to see a cycle developing. In the first stage of the cycle, he would start school, a project, or a new routine motivated and positive. His positive beginnings were short-lived however, and he would

become frustrated.hlowin and get angry, followed