Forensic Psychology

L-r, Chris Lively ’06 ’13 ’14, MUN doctoral candidate in forensic psychology, who has taught two core program courses, StFX psychology professor and program coordinator Dr. Margo Watt ’93, and Ryanne Chisholm ’01 practicum coordinator.

DEMAND, STUDENT OPPORTUNITY PROPEL STFX’S EVER-GROWING FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY INTO FOUR-YEAR PROGRAM

Helping students better understand prisons and their populations was a goal StFX psychology professor Dr. Margo Watt ’93, a clinical forensic psychologist, had from the start.

For over two decades, this goal has had far-reaching impacts on StFX—and its students—most recently with the launch of a new four-year program.

In September 2021, StFX introduced Applied Forensic Psychology, a program that grew from a seed Dr. Watt planted in 2000 when she offered a single forensic psychology course a year after joining StFX faculty. The course offered field trips and a Service Learning component.

“When I came to StFX, I felt strongly students should be getting inside prisons,” says Dr. Watt, who in 1999 had completed a full year doctoral internship with Correctional Services Canada.

She knew the general public’s knowledge of prisons and their populations, including why they’re there and how they’re treated,

“Since coming to StFX, I have tried to provide students with unique experiences and learning opportunities that they can carry with them long after they leave StFX.” Dr. Margo Watt ’93

was lacking, and believed it paramount we understand.

“Many great people have reminded us that we never know our society until we get inside our prisons. People, such as Dostoyevsky: ‘The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons,’ and Nelson Mandela: ‘It is said that no one truly knows a nation until one has been inside its jails. A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones.’

“That’s how it started. It’s been an evolution since I started at StFX.”

Interest in the course proved so high that in 2013, StFX introduced a Two-Year Special Concentration in Forensic Psychology. The unique-in-Canada program provided academic knowledge and hands-on experience participating in practica in various settings, such as prisons, courts, law offices, mental health clinics, addiction services, and other community-based organizations.

In 2018-19, Dr. Watt was approached yet again about expanding, and began the process.

“The program has always grown somewhat beyond my vision… which is exciting,” says Dr. Watt.

In fact, with Applied Forensic Psychology just entering its second year, StFX had well over 300 applications by last November for the program and eventually accepted 81 students for this coming academic year. The growth has allowed for the hiring of new faculty and staff. This year, two StFX grads joined the program: Ryanne Chisholm ’01 (BA-Psyc; MFA-theatre, York) assumed the practicum coordinator position and Chris Lively ’06, ’13, ’14 (MUN doctoral candidate in forensic psychology) taught two core program courses. “The addition of Ryanne and Chris has opened even more opportunities for student learning and skill development. For example, Ryanne trained some of the senior students to act as clients for junior students to practice their interviewing skills,” Dr. Watt says.

What excites her about the expansion?

“In addition to having Ryanne and Chris, I am excited by the immense promise of this program. Since coming to StFX, I have tried to provide students with unique experiences and learning opportunities that they can carry with them long after they leave StFX.

“I came with the idea that students need to get into prisons to gain a better understanding of their world and themselves. For 23 years basically I’ve been able to watch that evolve.”

Students’ learning takes place at the intersection of mental health and criminal justice, she says.

“That’s my primary focus, helping people better understand mental health and its role in the criminal justice system; helping students gain insight and skills in better understanding why people do the things they do.”

In her 2014 case study book, Dr. Watt said that Dostoyevksy’s claim that: ‘While nothing is easier than to denounce the evildoer; nothing is more difficult than to understand him,’ basically sums up her passion for this field.

“This is the work that I think is important.”

Dr. Watt credits the field trips—where students meet and interact with inmates and correctional staff—and the course material with helping fuel the popularity.

“The field trips (pre-COVID) were huge. They were transformative for students.”

The program’s compelling rate of success also speaks to its value. Dr. Watt says about one-fourth of students continue to graduate studies. Additionally, many go on to become social workers, and increasingly go into policing and the law. Many others work in corrections, social services, and community organizations.

She says what distinguishes the students is their practical training combined with their experience. All students are required to do a practicum every year. Student feedback indicates how beneficial these experiences are for their subsequent study and work.

REAL WORLD OPPORTUNITY

Adding to the student experience, Dr. Watt has successfully secured several large grants, which have benefitted senior students in the special concentration.

Recent projects and grant funding have enabled students to collect data at Nova Scotia Archives on Nova Scotia Hospital admissions in the 1860s and 1870s; work with Antigonish RCMP to digitize archival data on arrestees; and with clinical doctoral students from Dalhousie University in running a group-based intervention program.

Dr. Watt also successfully received funding to support student practicum opportunities with the Correctional Service Canada (CSC). Cooperative Education and Work Integrated Learning (CEWIL) has funded two projects for hird- and fourth-year students students to receive training tailored to serve community-based clients from Atlantic Region of CSC. Over the past eight months, about 70 students have been paid ($14/hour) to attend twice weekly training sessions. Once the students were trained and gained enhanced security clearance, they conducted wellness checks and treatment satisfaction interviews with community-based clients of CSC (parolees) under the supervision of CSC mental health professionals.

CEWIL was excited by the project and encouraged Dr. Watt to apply for another grant. She did, receiving further funding in February, which led to the same opportunity extended to second-year students.

“It’s benefitted everyone and it’s been a huge opportunity for students, who are getting paid for their work and earning valuable practicum experience and hours.”

The Alanna Jenkins Legacy Fund, named for a StFX grad and valued friend of the program killed in Nova Scotia’s mass murder, also helps support student research related to mental health and criminal justice.

FORENSIC STUDENTS ON THE PROGRAM’S APPEAL

$250/ticket, tables of ten $2,500

Preet Banga

Preet Banga came from New Delhi, capital city of India, to take forensic psychology at StFX. “I am very passionate to build my career as a clinical-forensic psychologist and I knew I made the right decision to come to StFX. I was lucky to meet with Dr. Margo Watt in my first year at StFX and even luckier to become a member of the Watt Lab.” She says Dr. Watt’s research areas (anxiety sensitivity; anxiety-and related disorders, personality characteristics among particular offender populations; and prediction of risk for violence) aligned with hers. “When I told Dr. Watt I wanted to study climate change anxiety, she was very supportive and encouraging. Dr. Watt agreed to supervise my research project this summer, and we were successful in receiving the Irving Research Mentorship Award. I am very grateful to have her as my supervisor and mentor.”

David Biddle ’22 of Halifax, NS applied to the special concentration as he was majoring in psychology and had an interest in law and thought it would be the perfect blend. “To say the least, I was not disappointed. I had the opportunity to participate in practicums that pertained to my interests despite the impact of COVID. I researched what it took for patients to be admitted to the Nova Scotia Hospital during the 19th century and conducted wellness checks on formerly incarcerated individuals. The program/concentration not only sparked my interests but taught me valuable life skills. We learned the value of an evidencebased approach to interviewing and had our critical thinking skills nurtured through class discussions.”

“For the past two years, I have had the privilege of being a part of such an amazing program. This program has introduced me to so many great people and provided me with countless opportunities for learning,” says Ella Mulvihill ’22 of Pembroke, ON who was interested in learning about the law, mental health, the criminal justice system, and how they intersect. “My practicum placements gave me hands-on experience where I was lucky enough to watch and learn from professionals in their field.” In summer 2021, she worked at Forging Forward Counselling Services, which continued into a practicum throughout the 2021-22 school year. Also that year, through the CEWIL-funded project, she was trained to provide wellness checks with clients negatively impacted by COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions. She was also trained to provide post-treatment exit interviews with clients who had participated in psychological counselling following release from federal custody.

Nathan Penman ’22 of Sydney, NS came to StFX to pursue psychology and answer one question: why do we do what we do? He knew StFX offered forensic psychology but was quite disinterested. “I wanted to study and understand humans, not the small percentage that are criminalized. I have since learned that criminality is a microcosm of human behaviour and the experiences and broader structures that influence it. By studying those who have been most affected by internal and external factors, I could look under the microscope at influences that shape humans and make our behaviour comprehensible.” He applied into it after his second year. The hands-on opportunities appealed, but now graduating, he says he’s leaving with a rich understanding of how human psychology works and the influences that shape us. Because of his studies, he’s now preparing to apply to law school. Penman says the experience that caught him most by surprise was becoming a journalist through the program. He interviewed fellow students and alumni and wrote articles (including one published by the Canadian Psychology Association) and recorded podcasts with the help of the campus radio station.

Nathan Penman ’22