Within the Graduate School of Professional Psychology (GSPP) at the University of Denver, students and faculty work together to advance the field of forensic psychology. Through research, mental health evaluations and expert testimony to the courts, they are helping create outcomes that benefit individuals and communities. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cForensic psychology is the intersection between mental health and the law,\u201d says Neil Gowensmith, associate professor in GSPP\u2019s master\u2019s in forensic psychology program.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The meeting of psychology and law often calls to mind an array of pop culture and news references: the psychological evaluators on \u201cCSI\u201d; the Behavioral Science Unit on Netflix\u2019s \u201cMindhunter\u201d; and, of course, high-profile insanity defense cases. Think Jeffrey Dahmer, the <\/span>serial killer<\/a> who murdered and dismembered 17 men and boys between 1978 and 1991.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s a sliver of forensic psychology, and those things do happen,\u201d Gowensmith says. \u201cWe consult with police and law enforcement to try and help figure out why crimes are being treated the way they are. And we certainly get on the stand and are asked to provide our opinions on a person\u2019s sanity or competency \u2014 those things do happen, but never like they do on TV.\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Instead, the work of Denver FIRST (Forensic Institute for Research, Service and Training) focuses on supporting the court system with expertise to help identify the right treatment and recourse for those with mental health challenges. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cOur field, our courts and our governments know that the current approaches to mental health aren\u2019t working well \u2014 often these forensic systems are inefficient,\u201d Gowensmith says. \u201cThey are unjust. People who are waiting in jails for services \u2014 it can do some pretty terrible things. When they\u2019re experiencing symptoms of mental illness, they can injure themselves or assault others. And what they really need is treatment.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Denver FIRST was created in 2014 to help GSPP respond to requests from around Colorado and surrounding states to address forensic mental health. At any given time, there are at least four faculty members and upwards of 15 master’s students working with community organizations and clients on forensic psychology projects.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n![\"Neil](\"https:\/\/www.du.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/large\/public\/Neil%20Gowensmith%20Headshot.png?itok=TAaAFIq8\")
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