Many people view fraud as a victimless crime or one that has little impact beyond someone’s pocketbook; if an insurance company gets scammed or a down-on-her-luck bookkeeper slips her hand in the money till they argue, the cash isn’t coming out of our pockets. Some fraudsters even use this argument as a defense, if not against conviction, then against a serious penalty. But there are plenty of frauds committed against individuals – identify theft, romance cons, investment fraud. And the impact of any one of these can be devastating. Fortunately, there is increasing recognition of the emotional, relationship, and financial havoc that financial crimes cause victims and their families. And another thing we forensic psychologists have learned is that just because someone might not look like a criminal doesn’t mean s/he isn’t dangerous. As you’ll see in my interview with the senior communications director for the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud, some “white collar” criminals are just as violent and dangerous and any you’d meet in a dark alley or on the “wrong side of the tracks” – and sometimes more so. Jim Quiggle is the Coalition’s lead communicator. He joined the Coalition staff in 2000. He oversees the Coalition’s outreach strategy and publicly positions the Coalition as one of America’s most-trusted authorities on insurance fraud.
In April of 2020, Dr. Wilkas Janke’s book, ‘The Protector: A Woman’s Journey from the Secret Service to Guarding VIPs and Working in Some of the World’s Most Dangerous Places’ was published, a memoir of her life as told through the exciting and dangerous missions she accepted as one of the few females in the world of international executive protection agent. We’ve talked about stalking on this show before but we’ve never had a guest with such a unique perspective. Dr. Mary Beth Wilkas Jenke is a psychologist who worked on a stalking unit and a former Secret service agent who served as a protection agent on numerous government contracts. She is also the only female to ever officially protect a foreign president outside of the United States. With this fascinating background, she talks with Dr. Joni Johnston about what this taught her about stalking and unwanted pursuit.
On July 20, 2012 in Aurora, Colorado, James Holmes entered a midnight premiere of The Dark Knight Rises with a tactical shotgun, a high-capacity assault rifle, and a sidearm. He threw a canister of tear gas into the crowd and began firing. Soon twelve were dead and fifty-eight were wounded; young children and pregnant women were among them. Unlike most mass shooters, who commit suicide or provoke a deadly shootout with responding police officers, Holmes was found calmly waiting at his car and was arrested without any resistance. In the court case that followed, only Dr. William H. Reid would be allowed to record interviews with the defendant. Reid would read Holmes’ diary, investigate his phone calls and text messages, interview his family and acquaintances, speak to his victims, and review tens of thousands of pages of evidence and court testimony in an attempt to understand how a happy, seemingly normal child could become a killer. On this episode of The Forensic Psychiatrist, we not only have a chance to get an inside look at the mind of a mass murderer, we get to see what it’s like to be a forensic psychiatrist in action. William Reid, MD, MPH, is among the most experienced forensic mental health professionals in North America. He has received both the Manfred Guttmacher Award for forensic writing and the Seymour Pollack Award for Distinguished Contribution to Education in Forensic Psychiatry, and is a past president of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law. Dr. Reid has written, co-authored, or edited 16 professional volumes and over 200 professional articles and book chapters, many on antisocial behavior, terrorism and forensic practice. Dr. Reid was one of two psychiatric experts retained by the presiding judge in People of the State of Colorado v. James Holmes, and the only psychiatrist allowed to record interviews with Holmes and access the unredacted videos and transcripts.
With so many people working from home these days, it seems odd to do a show on workplace violence. But the reality is that Covid hasn’t erased workplace violence; it’s just influenced the shape of it. From fights over mask-wearing to increased financial stress that shortens tempers to a blurring of boundaries between domestic and workplace violence, the ability to accurate assess – and respond to – threats can mean the difference between life and death. On this episode of The Forensic Psychologist, Dr. Joni Johnston talks with workplace violence expert Dr. Steve Albrecht on what employers and employees need to know. Dr. Steve Albrecht is one of the country’s leading experts on workplace and school violence prevention and on dealing with high-risk employees, students, customers, library patrons, and taxpayers. In 1994, Dr. Steve Albrecht co-wrote Ticking Bombs, one of the first business books on workplace violence. As part of his on-going research, he has interviewed three workplace murderers in prison.
It’s impossible to watch a true crime television show or listen to a podcast without hearing the name of a serial killer – Ted Bundy, Joseph James Deangelo, Samuel Little. But how do we know that a murderer is a serial killer, especially if there’s no forensic evidence to link crimes together? Our guest today is going to answer that question. Join us as Dr. Johnston interviews Dr. Gabrielle Salfati, a pioneer in the field of crime scene analysis and one of the founders of investigative psychology, a branch of psychology that uses science to help law enforcement solve crimes. C. Gabrielle Salfati is currently Full Professor of Psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice where she directs the Investigative Psychology Research Unit (IPRU).
Suicide is the number one driver of psychiatric malpractice claims, especially when the clinician fails to recognize the seriousness of a patient’s condition and does not properly assess or treat him or her. But what should a clinician reasonably know and what should s/he reasonably do, especially given the fact that it is impossible to predict which of the individuals who think of suicide actually follow through? And how does a family member know if his or her loved one is getting the care that s/he needs, especially at such a critical time? Today’s show explores suicide and malpractice and how patients and their families can proactively get better mental health care for suicidal loved one and recognize when the treatment s/he is getting is substandard or negligent – before it is too late. With a legal background ranging from duties as a U.S. Air Force Courts Martial Judge lawyer to services as Texas' top drug traffic prosecutor, Skip Simpson, B.A., J.D. has created a private law practice that has covered a wide range of intriguing matters both civil and criminal. Now, he has limited his practice primarily to psychiatric and psychological malpractice. Nationally recognized for his expertise in suicide and repressed memory cases, Mr. Simpson has to look at suicide from every possible angle in preparing a case, and he has to make his findings easily understandable to a jury.
While mental health professionals have known about the link between animal abuse and violence towards human for years, until recently there’s been no way to track how often it occurs or identify repeat offenders. Even more alarming is the fact that, while all 50 states had some animal protection laws, most of the offenses were classified as misdemeanors. It wasn’t until November of 2019 that a federal law was passed making animal cruelty a federal felony that is punishable by up to seven years in prison. Dr. Mary Lou Randour On today’s show, Dr. Mary Lou Randour talks about the importance of tracking violent offenses against animals, updates us on what we know about the link between violence towards humans and violence towards animals, and talks about when animal mistreatment is a warning sign – in both children and adults – of worse things to come. Dr. Randour, a psychologist, is Senior Advisor, Animal Cruelty Programs and Training, Animal Welfare Institute, Washington, D. C. She is the author of handbooks such as A Common Bond: Child Maltreatment and Animals in the Family, as well as AniCare Child, a treatment approach for children who abuse animals. Dr. Randour has published articles in numerous professional journals, most recently in Trauma, Violence & Abuse, as well as written chapters for edited volumes, such as “The Psychology of Animal Abuse Offenders,” co-authored with Dr. Maya Gupta, which is in the newly released book Animal Cruelty: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Understanding.
When it comes to violent crime in the United States, there’s a lot of good news. On the one hand, the number of serial killers has plunged from their heyday in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. On the other hand, as the number of serial murderers has declined, so has the clearance rate; in comparison to the 91 percent solve rate of the 1960s, by 2017, it had fallen to 61.6%. Thomas Hargrove, believes that serial killers are responsible for a significant number of unsolved murders. Watching police officers struggle to link serial crimes, and witnessing some of the built-in barriers that hindered them, former crime reporter and current crime data analyst developed an algorithm that helps police spot crime clusters that signal serial crimes. On today’s show, Tom Hargrove explores how he is using math to help law enforcement solve the problem of murder. Thomas K. Hargrove is a retired Washington, D.C., -based investigative journalist and former White House correspondent. He founded the nonprofit Murder Accountability Project in 2015 to track unsolved homicides nationwide. While working as a national correspondent for the Scripps Howard News Service, Hargrove developed an algorithm that uses FBI homicide data to identify clusters of murders with an elevated probability of containing serial killings. Working with fellow board member Prof. David J. Icove of the University of Tennessee, Hargrove developed another algorithm that can review the National Fire Incident Reporting System to identify undetected or unreported arsons.
Few cases have captured the interest and attention as much as the Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell case. In November 2019, a welfare check on two missing children led to a multiple state investigation and the eventual uncovering of three dead adults and a trial of lies, deception and extreme religious beliefs. Then, on June 9, 2019, the missing children were found – murdered. Two adults are currently in custody awaiting criminal charges of tampering with evidence and concealing bodies. Murder charges are anticipated. In this episode, Dr. Joni Johnston takes a look at this case from a forensic psychologist’s perspective, talking about what diagnoses a forensic expert would consider and whether or not an insanity plea is available or likely. Image: Rexburg Police Department; Madison County Sheriff's Office
We’ve all heard of trials where the jury voted in a way that seemed absolutely illogical or astonishing. How could they think the defendant was innocent? How could they convict on such flimsy evidence? While judges and attorneys try to figure this out, the rest of us are left shaking our heads. On this episode of The Forensic Psychologist, host Dr. Joni Johnston interviews Dr. Margaret Bull Kovera, one of the leading experts in jury research. Dr. Covera has spent hours talking to real and mock jurors to get inside their heads and see how they evaluate eye witnesses, experts, and other evidence that can make or break case. Dr. Kovera received her Ph.D. in social psychology from the University of Minnesota. A Presidential scholar and current professor of psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Dr. Kovera is a Past-President of APLS and has served as the Treasurer of APLS and the Secretary/Treasurer of SPSSI. She is also the current Editor-in-Chief of Law and Human Behavior, the first woman to ever hold this position. For over twenty years, she has conducted research on eye-witness identification, jury decision-making, and scientific evidence with the goal of improving accuracy and fairness in the courtroom.
We’ve all negotiated in situations that seemed like high stakes – asking for a job raise or bargaining with a rebellious teenager. But few of us have ever been thrown into a situation where our words could literally save or cost someone’s life. On today’s show, we’ll take a look at some of the most famous hostage crises in recent times and explore how negotiators get peaceful outcomes in tense situations and why sometimes things don’t go as planned. Gary Noesner retired from the FBI in 2003 following a 30 year career as an investigator, instructor, and negotiator. A significant focus of his career was directed toward investigating Middle East hijackings in which American citizens were victimized. In addition, he was an FBI hostage negotiator for 23 years of his career, retiring as the Chief of the FBI's Crisis Negotiation Unit, Critical Incident Response Group, the first person to hold that position. In that capacity he was heavily involved in numerous crisis incidents covering prison riots, right- wing militia standoffs, religious zealot sieges, terrorist embassy takeovers, airplane hijackings, and over 120 overseas kidnapping cases involving American citizens. Image: KPTV
What causes someone to be violent? Are they born that way or is it a response to childhood trauma or adverse life circumstances? And how likely is it that at some point in your lifetime you will be a victim of someone else’s brutality? These are the questions – and answers – on this episode of The Forensic Psychologist, the Psychology of Violence. Join Dr. Joni Johnston as she interviews forensic, police and clinical psychologist who has interviewed and evaluated some of the most dangerous people in the world. Dr. Kris Mohandie is a clinical, police, and forensic psychologist with over thirty years of experience in the assessment and management of violent behavior. He is licensed as a psychologist in several states including California, Alaska, New York, Nevada, and Utah. He is Board Certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) in Police and Public Safety Psychology.
Ellen Kirschman, Ph.D. Being a police officer has always been a dangerous, stressful and rewarding job. Historically, for a number of reasons, many law enforcement officers have been reluctant to talk about the psychological toll being exposed to repeated trauma and dangers can take – and even more reluctant to get professional help. Fortunately, this is changing. On today’s Thread of Evidence, Dr. Joni Johnston interviews police psychologist Dr. Ellen Kirschman, who has spent over 25 years helping the men and women in blue understand and cope with normal reactions to life threatening situations, minimize the impact of their unique job demands on their families, and, when needed, get professional help before untreated psychological problems end a career or a life. Ellen Kirschman, Ph.D. is a police psychologist and volunteer clinician at the First Responders Support Network. She is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, The Society for the Study of Police and Criminal Psychology, The American Psychological Association and the International Association of Women in Law Enforcement. Website: www.ellenkirschman.com Image: AP
While the impact of social distancing and self-quarantine is stressful for everyone, it can be life threatening for domestic violence victims. Since COVID-19 hit communities in early 2020, domestic violence incidents have risen so much that advocates have called in the shadow pandemic. Join Dr. Joni Johnston as she interviews attorney Casey Gwinn, a prosecuting attorney and president of Alliance for HOPE International, and explores how victims can stay safe, how law enforcement can protect themselves when responding to domestic violence calls, and how communities are working together to break the cycle of what is often a multi-generational problem. Casey Gwinn, Esq. serves as the President of Alliance for HOPE International. Casey has been recognized by The American Lawyer magazine as one of the top 45 public lawyers in America. He is an honors graduate of Stanford University and UCLA School of Law.
Few occasions are more joyous in a courtroom than the completion of a successful adoption. Most birth moms want what is best for their child and most adoption agencies and attorneys are trying to do what’s right for everyone involved. Which is why it’s important to recognize when this is not the case, whether it’s the result of a financial scam, emotional vampire, or misguided couple or birth mom. On this episode of Thread of Evidence, Dr. Joni Johnston interview adoption attorney Derek J. Williams and takes a look at how to recognize and prevent adoption scams so everyone involved in the adoption process can make experience the joys of adoption while avoiding the emotional heartbreak and financial pitfalls. Derek Williams’ practice focuses on civil litigation with an emphasis in medical malpractice defense, adoption law, product liability, and personal injury defense. He represents doctors, hospitals, nursing homes, and other health care providers involving regulatory, insurance, and professional liability matters.
Cults are in the news. In June 2019, the leader of self-improvement cult NXIUM Keith Reniere was convicted of several felonies, including human trafficking and sexual exploitation of a child. And, it’s almost impossible to avoid the ever-evolving story of Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow, who are under suspicion of being involved in a doomsday cult that may have led to three deaths and two missing children. Steven Hassan From the outside looking in, it’s hard to understand how anyone could fall under the spell of a destructive cult leader, or how one person could convince others to commit unethical or illegal acts. On this episode of Thread of Evidence, Dr. Joni Johnston talks with Steven Hassan, who brings a dual perspective to destructive cults; he spent two and a half years in one and, since his escape, has spent over thirty years helping victims and their families understand, and escape, their harmful influence. Steven Hassan is a mental health professional who has been helping people leave destructive cults since 1976 after he was deprogrammed from Sun Myung Moon’s Unification Church. He is the author of four books, including Freedom of Mind: Helping Loved Ones Leave Controlling People, Thoughts & Beliefs. He is the founding director of the Freedom of Mind Resource Center, located outside Boston. Cult and destructive mind control expert, speaker, consultant, author, educator - freedomofmind.com
The Golden State serial killer Joseph James DeAngelo was finally caught in 2018. In addition to the public relief at this predator’s capture, part of the notoriety of his arrest came from the method used to identify him. DeAngelo was arrested after being identified through forensic genealogy. Since that first landmark moment, dozens of violent offenders have been brought to justice using this technique and today, law enforcement is taking advantage of what may be the greatest tool for investigating violent crimes since the invention of fingerprinting. Join us for this episode of Thread of Evidence, where Dr. Joni Johnston interviews a woman whose been right in the middle of solving these cases: internationally recognized DNA investigative expert and Chief Genetic Genealogist at Paragon Labs, Cece Moore. CeCe Moore, Chief Genetic Genealogist at Paragon NanoLabs, is an internationally recognized DNA investigative expert, educator and pioneer in the field of genetic genealogy. Starting in 2010, she began developing the now widely used genetic genealogy techniques that have become foundational and central aspects of the field.
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, has become a household word, but it is a term – and a disorder – that is often misunderstood. In the media, it is all too often associated with vets and with violence. But the reality is that PTSD is much more complicated than most people think and its role in the legal arena is often complicated. Join Dr. Joni Johnston for this episode of Thread of Evidence, where she interviews Dr. Sanjay Adhia, a forensic psychiatrist and expert witness on PTSD, where they explore the law and psychology behind post-traumatic stress. Website: www.forensicpsychiatrynow.com
Few psychological terms carry such negative implications as the diagnosis of “psychopath.” We know, for example, that adults with psychopathy often leave a path of interpersonal destruction and emotional devastation behind them. We also know that that criminal psychopaths tend to offend far more often – and commit more serious crimes - than their antisocial peers. Dr. Abigail Marsh But what causes someone to become a psychopath? How early does it start and what can we do about it? In this episode of Thread of Evidence, Dr. Joni Johnston talks with Georgetown University professor and researcher Dr. Abby Marsh about the controversy surrounding childhood psychopathy and what the implications are for parents and the criminal justice system. Abigail Marsh is a Professor of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Cognitive Science at Georgetown. She received her Ph.D. from Harvard University and conducted her post-doctoral research at the National Institute of Mental Health. She is the author of over 70 publications in journals that include Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Nature Human Behavior, American Journal of Psychiatry, and JAMA Psychiatry, as well as an award-winning trade book about her research on the brain basis of empathy and compassion called THE FEAR FACTOR.
Dr. Kelly Watt In this age of mass shootings and workplace violence, terms like “violence risk” and “threat assessment” have become common terms. But what do they really mean? Who does them and why? And do they work? On this episode of Thread of Evidence, Dr. Joni Johnston talks with Dr. Kelly Watt and gives us an up-close-and-personal look at what it means to ask the hard questions and make the tough decisions about how deadly a person might really be. Dr. Kelly A. Watt obtained her BA in psychology at Simon Fraser and her MA and PhD in psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She worked as a Psychology Fellow at Vancouver Coastal Health between 2008 and 2010. She currently works as Threat Assessment Specialist at Protect International Risk and Safety Services Inc. and a Workplace Consultant at Competence Center Bergen.