KHACHATUR ABOVYAN ARMENIAN STATE PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY

The 2nd republican conference entitled “Forensic Psychological Expertise: Theory and Practice” was held at Armenian State Pedagogical University (ASPU) on April 25.

The conference was organized by the Chair of Psychology named after Academician Mkrtich Mazmanyan of ASPU, Chair of Medical Psychology of Yerevan State Medical University named after Mkhitar Heratsi, and Special Department of Non-Property Enforcement Proceedings of the Compulsory Enforcement Service of the Ministry of Justice.

ASPU Rector Srbuhi Gevorgyan attached special importance to the conference and said that the recent changes in the field of forensic psychology, as well as the methodological, procedural and structural revisions taking place in the international practices framework require fundamental approaches and solutions to the existing problems.

She stressed that in addition to carrying out psychological and educational activities, the participants of the conference also have their contributions in the field of forensic psychological expertise. The issues discussed during the conference can contribute to the professional growth and acquisition of knowledge about innovations in the activity of experts in the context of changes in the legislation and social environment. “It [conference] will provide an opportunity to increase the skills of conducting psychological evaluations, familiarize [specialists] with modern examination research and tests in the related fields of expert activity, and implement complex examinations,” she said.

The ASPU rector hopes that ASPU will become a platform for dialogue between the academic domain and specialists and bring changes in the field of forensic psychology.

Ruzanna Petrosyan, Dean of the Faculty of Education Psychology and Sociology, says in cooperation with various structures the Faculty has been conducting forensic psychological evaluation for seven years. She says the theory and practice of forensic expertise are not a frozen sum of knowledge and skills, but a living and developing field of applied psychology.
Levon Sargsyan, Head of the Chair of Psychology named after Academician Mkrtich Mazmanyan of ASPU, also considered the conference to be unique and highlighted its importance in terms of ensuring practical experience and skills, analysis of cases, discussion between the interested parties and formation of new ideas.
He added that establishment and development of the Institute of Psychological Testing, and, in particular, Judicial Examinations in Armenia should imply the development of all expert centers, which will provide an opportunity to help and reach psychological conclusions in the professional domain, which often, in cases of certain proceedings, result in protracted appeals, especially in judicial and criminal cases.
Levon Sargsyan says ASPU, that has extensive experience in the field of psychology, will have its say in the field of forensic psychological expertise as well. After all, most of the psychology experts working in the country are graduates of the Faculty of Education Psychology and Sociology of ASPU.

Arsen Ayvazyan. Deputy Chairman of the RA Investigative Committee, emphasized the importance of developing the sector. He considered the combination of theoretical and practical components of the conference to be important in the sense that they are two closely-connected spheres which cannot exist without one another.
Arsen Ayvazyan also spoke about developments in the field of forensic psychology, citing a number of legislative changes. He emphasized the role of a psychologist in this responsible field, at the same time stating that there is a clear requirement to involve in the field psychologists who will obtain the required qualification in the order established by the RA Government. “The changes show that judicial psychology is developing at the level of law; researchers, lecturers and students have a lot to do in this context. It is necessary to realize the importance of development, in order not to leave the legislative formulations on paper, but to put them into practice," he stressed.
Vardan Melikbekyan, Head of the Special Department of Non-Property Enforcement Proceedings of the Compulsory Enforcement Service, stressed the practical importance and significance of the conference, saying there are a lot of people interested in forensic psychology.
At the plenary session of the conference, Kamo Vardanyan, Director of the Scientific Research Center of ASPU, Professor at the Chair of Applied Psychology, presented a report on "Characteristics of Forensic Psychological Assesment of Suicides."
He spoke about the various methods used by forensic psychologists while studying cases, identification of types and motives to commit suicides, as well as the unique professional approach to prevent suicides of children, adolescents and the elderly.
Kamo Vardanyan says new requirements should be presented to forensic psychology experts: they should be experienced and sophisticated with a narrow specialization. Also, the results of the examination should not have probabilistic nature, rather, they should be scientifically proven, thus bringing a new quality in the forensic psychological assessment of suicides.

Within the framework of the topic "Characteristics of Forensic Psychological Expertise", Ruben Aghuzumtsyan, Head of the Department of Psychological Expertise of the National Bureau of Expertise SNCO of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, spoke about the problems and peculiarities of the field, preparation and training of forensic psychology experts, difficulties of the process and proposed a system that can provide effective and reliable activity of psychology experts.

In his report, Khachatur Gasparyan, Head of the Chair of Medical Psychology of Yerevan State Medical University named after Mkhitar Heratsi, dwelt on the issues in forensic examination.
He particularly spoke about the motivations for and types of suicides, emphasizing the need and ability to correctly use scientific literature and expert tools in order to draw confident conclusions.
The conference continued, with reports on psychological and behavioral characteristics, peculiarities and assessment, as well as expert evaluation of various subjects made in two branches: “Features of Forensic Psychological Expertise of an Individual in Criminal Cases” and "Psychological Expertise of an Individual in Civil Cases."