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#Centre for the Advancement of Psychological Science and Law

The main goal of the Centre for the Advancement of Psychological Science and Law (CAPSL) is to focus on issues at the intersection of psychology and the legal system. At the CAPSL, our team comprised of accomplished faculty members (Drs. Stephen Porter, Michael Woodworth, Zachary Walsh Jan Cioe) and students conducts cutting edge research with important basic scientific and applied implications.

CAPSL research focuses on four key areas at the interface of psychology and the legal system: 1) factors that predispose individuals to crime, with a focus on personality and aggression; 2) investigative psychology, with a focus on deceptive behaviour, credibility assessment, and memory; 3) legal decision-making; and 4) the development and refinement of interventions to reduce recidivism among perpetrators of violence and assist with the recovery of crime victims. Ultimately, the aim of our research is to lead to legal/investigative reforms, advances in clinical practice, and improved training for forensic professionals.

CAPSL, funded by the Canadian Foundation for Innovation and the British Columbia Knowledge Development Fund, is housed in the Arts and Sciences II Building on the UBC Okanagan Campus.

The forensic psychology group at UBC Okanagan includes, from left, psychology professors Michael Woodworth, Zach Walsh, Stephen Porter and Jan Cioe.