The How To Book Of Forensic Hypnosis Investigation

Historically viewed as a vehicle for entertainment or the occult, hypnosis has slowly gained recognition as an effective tool in the medical arts, sports programs, and stress seminars. Gradually law enforcement specialists also have used hypnosis - specifically forensic hypnosis - as a powerful tool when collecting information from the witness. Hypnosis serves police and prosecutors by enabling the witness to recall minute details that they had previously forgotten due to momentary excitement or fear. Investigative Forensic Hypnosis presents the practical application and scientific side of this subject, explaining forensic hypnosis in an understandable way, answering many common questions, and identifying its practical use in the courtroom. The author, with 22 years of experience in law enforcement and 14 years experience in forensic hypnosis, brings his outstanding law enforcement background and valued expertise to this important, informative handbook, dissolving misconceptions or doubts and illuminating forensic hypnosis as a valuable advantage in any case. Two parts divide the discussion: The Essence of Hypnosis - covers the origins of hypnosis to its current uses o explains hypnosis from a scientific approach o clarifies misleading information o provides a logical approach to this unusual phenomenon o illustrates its potential in law enforcement Investigative Forensic Hypnosis - arms its reader with a clear understanding of hypnosis o discusses applications to the criminal justice system o outlines essential guidelines for correctly using forensic hypnosis o identifies specific procedures for determining the facts of a case The information presented assists: the hypnotist performing this investigative technique the investigator considering hypnosis lawyers and judges determining the appropriate application of hypnosis in a case This book provides the framework for hypnosis as a successful and dependable tool to assist in investigations - not to solve crimes by magic but to provide useful, indispensable clues and details. This technique improves information gained from that most important asset in a case - the witness. Understanding the proper guidelines provided in Investigative Forensic Hypnosis can make a good witness a great witness.

This volume explains the phenomenon of hypnosis and the methodology of its application as an investigative technique in the criminal justice system to improve the memories of victims and witnesses. It is intended for the use and training of law enforcement officers, and for lawyers or judges who may need to utilize investigative hypnosis in their work. Hypnosis is of great value in releasing important information that had been repressed and in relieving the anxieties produced by stressful dream sequences. Police officers trained for criminal investigation are better qualified to use hypnosis than are psychologists and physicians who understand hypnotic behavior but are untrained investigators. A discussion of the human nervous system and the fundamentals of human behavior is presented. The semantics of the field, the suggestion processes, and the phenomenon of hypnosis are then explained. Values and limitations of hypnosis are examined in ethical terms, emphasizing that investigative hypnosis is to be used for memory improvement only and not as a tool for extracting the truth from criminals or for coercing witnesses into fabricating information. To integrate hypnosis into investigative work, it is also necessary to understand the legal aspects and status of hypnosis, office procedures and coordination of a hypnosis program, and procedures for a hypnosis session. A transcript of a hypnosis session, sample forms, a glossary, a bibliography, and an index are provided.

In this volume, Kevin McConkey and Peter Sheehan draw from their extensive research to examine the use of hypnosis in criminal investigation. In addition to exploring the reliability of hypnotically recovered memory, this book covers a broad range of other significant technical, clinical, ethical, and legal issues\m-\including the inadequacy of current guidelines for research and practice, and the ethical concerns professionals must deal with when using hypnosis in criminal investigation. Written for a broad professional audience, this volume explicitly illustrates the complexities involved in using hypnosis in forensic settings and lays the groundwork for more carefully drawn guidelines in this area of professional practice. The book opens with an illuminating overview of the use of hypnosis in criminal investigation, focusing in particular on its use with witnesses and victims of crime. Early on, the authors set forth the guidelines they developed based on their extensive experience and the available psychological and legal literature on the subject. They then examine specific court cases, showing how each illustrates a different use of forensic hypnosis. Although the cases are set in Australia, each was chosen on the basis of its relevance to any forensic system worldwide, and the book takes care to reference literature in the world arena. Topics elucidated by the case studies include: * The impact of hypnosis on legal procedures * Qualifications of the hypnotist * Admissibility of hypnotic evidence * Consistency of memory reports * Possibility of deception * Role of motivation and emotion in recall * Rights of participants The book explores the controversial and murky area of hypnotically refreshed memory, presenting specific strategies for dealing with reports of recovered memories of abuse. The final chapters address some of the essential pragmatics of working within a system that can place many different demands on professionals. The authors discuss the major implications of their research, offering cogent recommendations for practice.