Pseudoscience, public health and the justice system (w/ Pamela Radcliffe)

This talk presents an overview of pseudoscience within therapeutic contexts in the twenty-first century, juxtaposed with the risks posed to public health and the criminal justice system. It identifies the adverse outcomes that may arise from specific psychotherapeutic treatments and popular pseudo-scientific beliefs. The justice response and published cases are briefly explored. This talk concludes by advancing the case for increased therapeutic regulation and justice safeguards.

Pamela Radcliffe is a senior barrister, Lead Editor of Witness Testimony in Sexual Cases: Evidential, Investigative, and Scientific Perspectives, OUP (2016), and Visiting Research Fellow at Portsmouth University, Psychology Department.

Called to the Bar in 1979, Pamela’s legal practice has spanned all aspects of family and criminal law (defending). She conducts independent case reviews and has assisted university innocence networks where miscarriages of justice are alleged or suspected. Pamela’s academic interest lies in the interdisciplinary nature of the law, and the nexus between medicine, psychology and law, especially the justice challenges posed by non-recent sexual complaints and controversial psychotherapeutic treatments. Pamela delivers lectures and workshops to universities and to justice and health professionals on witness testimony related issues.

All APRU talks are open to staff, students and members of the public. Attendance is free and there is no need to book in advance. You are strongly recommended to register (at no cost) with the APRU’s “Psychology of the Paranormal” email list to ensure that you are informed of any future changes to the programme as well as news of related events. You can also follow @chriscfrench on Twitter for announcements (including news of last-minute cancellations, changes of venue, etc.). Visit: http://www.gold.ac.uk/apru/email-network/