Hypnosis, Memory, and Behavior in Criminal Investigation

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.