1. What was your initial impression of the activities of forensic clinical psychologists prior to reading the text? How did your initial impressions compare to the duties of forensic psychologists as described in the text?

2. Are you interested in pursuing a career in forensic clinical psychology? What unique challenges are likely faced by psychologists working in prison and penitentiary settings? Specifically consider the relationship between psychologist and client, and consider the role of the forensic psychologist in child custody evaluations.

3. How might cultural factors influence the practice of forensic psychology? Describe several scenarios in which a client’s cultural background might influence the way in which a psychologist conducts a forensic assessment.

4. In which method of predicting dangerousness are you most confident: statistical or clinical? What advantages and disadvantages does each approach offer?

5. Some forensic training programs offer joint degrees in law (J.D.) and clinical psychology (Ph.D.). How do you think an aspiring forensic psychologist’s education would be enhanced by also earning a law degree? Are there any drawbacks to the joint degree program that you can imagine?

6. After reading the text, has your impression of criminal profiling changed? Did your previous understanding of this facet of forensic psychologists’ work come from television programs, such as Criminal Minds? How do such television programs differ from the real-life work of forensic psychologists?