The Innocence Project

 

Robert Fettgather's writings have been published in the Transactional Analysis Journal (Translated to French per the Centre Pour La Formationet L'intervention Psycho-Sociologiques), Voices: The Art and Science of Psychotherapy, and Lifelong Learning. His latest article was published online with the International Network of Critical Gerontology and was entitled "Guardianship of the Infantilized Elder: A Pipeline to the Institution Industrial Complex?"

The Innocence Project, founded in 1992 by Barry Scheck and Peter Neufeld, is a non-profit organization dedicated to exonerating wrongfully convicted individuals through the use of DNA evidence. This initiative sheds light on systemic issues within the justice system, highlighting flaws that can lead to the imprisonment of innocent individuals.

One of the primary focuses of the Innocence Project is the utilization of DNA testing to reevaluate cases where doubts about guilt arise. The advent of DNA technology has been a game-changer in the pursuit of justice, as it provides a scientifically sound method for confirming or refuting a person's involvement in a crime. The Innocence Project has been instrumental in securing the release of numerous individuals who were wrongly convicted, some of whom had spent decades behind bars.

The cases handled by the Innocence Project underscore the fallibility of the justice system. Factors such as eyewitness misidentification, prosecutorial misconduct, inadequate legal representation, and flawed forensic evidence contribute to the alarming rate of wrongful convictions. These cases serve as a stark reminder that the quest for justice is an imperfect endeavor, susceptible to human error and systemic deficiencies.

Moreover, the work of the Innocence Project raises questions about the reliability of certain investigative techniques and the need for ongoing reform within the criminal justice system. The organization not only seeks to exonerate the innocent but also advocates for policy changes to prevent future miscarriages of justice. Their efforts underscore the importance of addressing root causes and implementing safeguards to ensure a fair and just legal process.

The Innocence Project plays a vital role in revealing the shortcomings of the justice system and working towards its improvement. By exonerating wrongfully convicted individuals, advocating for policy changes, and promoting the use of reliable forensic methods, the organization contributes to a broader conversation about the need for reform and the pursuit of a more just and equitable legal system.

States Of Dissociation

An instructor at Mission college, robert Fettgather hassd taught Human Development, abnormal Psychology and other courses. Robert fettgather has also taught courses in psychology and education at San Jose State University and National University. 

Most of us have had the experience of "spacing out' as a kind of absent minded moment or even a pleasant day dream. On the other hand, dissociative disorders involve a break, or dissociation, in a person’s sense of identity. In dissociative amnesia, an individual cannot remember information contained in long-term memory such as her own name or where she lives. A dissociative fugue occurs when a person suddenly travels away from his home and afterwards cannot remember the trip or even his own identity. In dissociative identity disorder, formerly referred to as multiple personality disorder, a person seems to experience at least two or more distinct personalities.

For example, a woman called Hilary Stanton had considerable blanks in her memories of childhood. She recalled her "safe place" behind the barn, and how her "alters" began to protect her mind. Dr. Allan Schore has noted the physiological impact of dissociation in response to early trauma, and its effect on suicidality.

According to the psychoanalytical model, dissociation is a defense mechanism and is associated with emotional or physical trauma. Behaviorists believe that “not thinking” about certain events can be negatively reinforced by reducing anxiety and unpleasant feelings, while cognitive psychologists focus on the feelings of guilt, shame, or anxiety that may be avoided through “thought avoidance.” Biological reasoning for dissociative disorders is found in the scientific literature as well. For example, researchers have discovered that people with depersonalization disorder also have diminished brain activity in brain areas responsible for our experience of body sensations.

Stress And Personality Type

Robert Fettgather holds a PhD in psychology, master's degrees in psychology and special education, and a bachelor of arts in psychology. Interested in stress management, Robert Fettgather received additional training on the topic at the Institute for Personality and Ability Testing. For his own relaxation, Robert Fettgather enjoys reading and hiking.

Personality has been associated with stress-related health risks. In 1974, Meyer Freidman and Ray Rosenman published a book delineating the Type A/Type B personalities and their link to heart disease. Based upon case studies of their own patients, Freidman and Rosenman suggested that individuals with Type A personality (a person who is competitive, ambitious, workaholic, with a constant sense of pressure) were more likely to develop heart disease than someone with a Type B personality, people who tend to be slow to anger. 

The cognitive-mediational theory of emotions is a theory developed by Richard Lazarus. It asserts that the way people reflect upon and appraise a stressor is a very important factor in their overall stress response. The initial step in evaluating a stressor is referred to as primary appraisal and involves an estimation of the severity of the stressor, and classifying it as either a threat, a challenge, or a loss. In secondary appraisal, an individual decides what resources he/she has available for coping with that threat or loss.

Several studies of persons with Type A personality determined that the trait of hostility was the best predictor of future heart problems. A third personality type, labeled Type C (in which a person holds in their emotions and tends to be pleasant), was later delineated and is currently being investigated with respect to a possible link with cancer rates. Lastly, some research has proposed a fourth personality type, the hardy personality. It is has been associated with decreased illness related to stress. An individual with a hardy personality shows a healthy sense of control, commitment, and sees stresses more like challenges to be faced and answered.

In addition to personality, associations have been noted between an individual’s attitude and his/her physical reactions to stress. Specifically, pessimists ("glass half empty") have been found to have significantly more stress-related health problems than optimists ("glass half full"). One way to become more optimistic is to discern negative thoughts and to replace them with rational and positive alternatives.

Cult Or New Religious Movement

Robert Fettgather holds a BA in psychology from San Jose State University as well as Masters and Doctoral degrees. He works as an associate faculty at Mission College in Santa Clara, educating students in different areas of psychology. An outdoorsman, Robert Fettgather likes to spend his free time hiking and camping.

A cult refers to any group of people with a specific religious or philosophical belief system and deemed socially deviant (deviance can be difficult to determine in some cases).  When Steven Hassan was 19 years old, he was recruited by the Unification Church, an infamous cult known for its mass marriage ceremonies. He spent two and a half years with the group, working to bring in new members, raise money, and preach the teachings of its controversial founder, Sun Myung Moon

In popular culture, most people associate the term cult with a group of people whose beliefs are so different from the mainstream that they are viewed with suspicion. Media portrayals may be sensationalistic and negative.  Some sociologists have now dropped the term cult concluding that it is a stigmatizing concept, and replaced it with a morally neutral term, such as "new religious movement". Others warn  that cults can be a destructive and dangerous force.