Civic Forensics
OVERVIEW
Psychologists are called upon to address a myriad of problems that directly affect the
adult and juvenile prison populations. In addition, though, psychologists are relied
upon to assess other correctional dilemmas regarding the intellectual, personality,
and behavioral characteristics of offenders and those who work in the institutions,
as well as to interpret society's responses to particular offender groups and general
correctional practices. This is the domain of civil forensics and corrections. Unlike
its adult and juvenile counterparts, the civil forensic field explores many of the social
variables that inform noncriminal inmate behavior, ongoing prison practices, and
the public's responses to both.
This chapter includes six topical themes, represen taring of the breadth of the
civil forensic field. It is not possible to present a complete and thorough cataloging
of issues and/or controversies contained in this subspeciality area. However, those
subjects examined in the pages that follow include some of the more interesting and
pressing concerns at the interface of corrections, psychology, and civil justice. Topics
investigated include (1) psychological stress and correctional work, (2) community
corrections, (3) mentally disabled prisoners, (4) society's response to sex offenders,
(5) women working in male prisons, and (6) inmate sexuality.
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