Effective Crime Dramas
When developing your supportive characters,(your mighty crime fighters) you must also know something about them. What specifically is their place in the grand scheme of crime solving and the court room drama?
Today, I am going to talk a bit about your expert witness; the Forensic Psychologist. Have you ever watched the television show Law and Order? Often, they call in their resident mental health worker to help them in many ways. They can give the detectives an accurate picture of the suspects mental and emotional health as well as help to see beyond what is outwardly obvious and into the inner motivations and history of the person.
Let's step inside their world for a bit and see where they fit into our crime story development.
Creating a Forensic Psychologist is a very complicated task. Apart from the personal character there are some basic things you need to know about your character:
* Where he/she went to school
* His/her field of expertise
* Whether he/she is a psychiatrist, psychologist, or social worker
* Whether he/she is board certified in forensics, and by which organization
* How and why he/she was contacted for his/her expertise
* Which clinical assessment tools he/she uses
* His/her approach to working with a client
* How many connections he/she has in the court system
* Whether he/she has experience with criminal interviewing
* Whether the judge will allow his/her expertise
* Which phase of the trial will him him/her a forum
* Whether he/she is testifying for the prosecution ( or performing a service for the court)
* Whether he/she testifies frequently
* Why he/she would be involved in any "action"
ACCORDING TO THE American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, a mental health practitioner will be called on for one or more of the following:
* criminal responsibility evaluation
* civil or criminal competency evaluation
* mental disability
* risk assessment
* juvenile assessment
* involuntary treatment or commitment
* child custody issues
* psychic injury cases
* malpractice cases
* corrections cases
Keep in mind that your character is going to be pulled apart in court. The opposite side of the table is going to try to tear his/her testimony apart to discredit him/her as an expert witness. To be able to write that scenario effectively, you have to understand what he/she might say as he/she testifies.
Next week, we will take that step into our Forensic Psychologist world. Be prepared. Delving into the dark recesses of the criminal mind could change you forever.
Also, in later issues of this page, we will investigate our own murder mystery. Included in that topic will be:
* poisons
* blunt-force trauma
* ballistics
* the serial killer - what makes him/her tick?
All topics on this page are designed to help the fiction writer create believable and factual characters and story lines. Please, feel free to offer any information or topics which you feel could be beneficial to the mystery/crime writer.
SUBMIT COMMENTS
"Every crime offers a lesson. In my books, I use a narrative technique, allowing insight into the minds of victims and sociopath's. I offer analysis of everything from media coverage to legal maneuvers. However, I tend to focus my attention on the larger social issues, with the hope that future crimes will be prevented."
"After over 10 years of examining the statements of killers, police, lawyers, and victims, in investigating, meeting with, and reporting on these crimes, I have learned a great deal about the psychological profiles of both the killers and their victims. I am now better able to recognize the warning signs that can lead to needless brutality."
With seven best selling crime books under her belt, Aphrodite Jones has become a internationally recognized authority on true crime. For over a decade, Jones has provided TV commentary and insight into the psychological profiles of criminals and victims on such shows as The Today Show, MSNBC Investigates, Catherine Crier Live, American Justice, America's Most Wanted, The CBS Early Show, Crime Files, CNN Newsstand, The Abrams Report, Live with Paula Zahn, Geraldo at Large, Inside Edition, Extra!, The New Detectives, Montel Williams, Medical Detectives, Primetime Justice with Nancy Grace, The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch, and The O'Reilly Factor.
In her fifteen years of experience as a crime profiler, Jones has made literally hundreds of television and radio appearances to offer her expert opinions on high-profile trials including: Scott Peterson, Michael Jackson, Robert Blake, and the BTK Killer, to name just a few. But, in the interest of fighting crime, Jones doesn't limit herself simply to high profile crimes. Jones will cover any crime that sheds light on the ills of society, hoping to make people proactive in the war against crime. Her method is simple: "Any time there's a crime that might seem controversial, I'm there to help people get answers," Jones says. "The public is more interested in real-life crime today because we're all dealing with it in our own backyards," Jones insists, "and now, more than ever, people should begin to take action to protect themselves." As a journalist who works closely with law enforcement, Jones thinks people need to become more active in protecting themselves and those around them. "Help your local law enforcement, start more neighborhood watches," Jones says. "Law enforcement resources are limited. People should realize this and do whatever it takes to make their world a safer place." Over the years, Jones has been quoted as a crime expert in publications including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, USA Today, The Miami Herald, The New York Post, The New York Daily News, and The Hollywood Reporter.
Three of her books have been turned into films, the most famous being her book "All She Wanted", which was transformed into the Academy Award winning film, "Boys Don't Cry".
