Karen Franklin
Encyclopedia
Karen Franklin is a forensic psychologist known for her research on the psychosocial motivations of antigay
violence perpetrators. She is adjunct faculty at the California School of Professional Psychology
, Alliant International University
.
behaviors by young adults from the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation
and received recognition from the Monette/Horwitz Trust which "acknowledges the accomplishments of organizations and persons working in arenas ranging from academic research and creative expression to activism and community organizing."
Franklin earned her Bachelor of Arts
degree in journalism from San Francisco State University
in 1982, and worked as a daily newspaper journalist and a criminal investigator before entering the field of psychology. She earned her Ph.D.
in Clinical Psychology
from the California School of Professional Psychology
in Alameda, California
, and went on to obtain a postdoctoral fellowship in forensic psychology
through the University of Washington
.
After working in Washington at a state prison and a mental hospital, she returned to California and started a private forensic psychology practice specializing in the evaluation of criminal and juvenile offenders.
She teaches forensic psychology
courses at Alliant International University
, and has taught a course on sexual violence
in the Sexuality Studies Program at San Francisco State University
. Her peer-reviewed publications have appeared in the American Behavioral Scientist, the Journal of Interpersonal Violence, the Journal of Forensic Psychology Practice, and other academic publications. Her opinion on the kidnapping of Jaycee Lee Dugard
has appeared in The Guardian
, and she also hosts forensic psychology news blog In the News, and another one on Psychology Today
called Witness.
s lobby in the United States
resulted in the passage of federal and state laws that increased punishment for crimes in which bias played a role. Much of the extant research on hate crimes relied on victim accounts of perpetrators and their motivations. Thus, Franklin set about to determine the self-described motivations of hate crime offenders themselves through a combination of in-depth interviews and a population survey.
Her finding that many assailants held little animosity toward homosexuals challenged the dominant notions of hate crime motivations. "Although the term hate crime conjures up images of swastikas, burning crosses, bigoted zealots, and a right-wing fringe far removed from America’s more socially tolerant center, … so-called ‘gay-bashings’ by young males suggests that it is a type of transient offense committed primarily as a result of environmental rather than internal psychological factors."
In her 1995 survey of 500 young adults, Franklin found that antigay
behaviors were commonplace among a noncriminal population. One-third of her sample, and about half of the young men, admitted to physical violence
or namecalling directed at perceived homosexuals. Franklin proposed dividing hate crimes assailants based on the symbolic themes that motivated their assaults. She conceptualized "value expressive assailants" as social norms enforcers who were punishing sexual minorities for perceived moral transgressions, whereas "social expressive assailants" are motivated by social and environmental factors.
Upon publication in 1998, Franklin’s study received extensive media coverage, including in The New York Times
, the Los Angeles Times
, The Boston Globe
, and elsewhere. Her research was later covered in a 2000 PBS Frontline documentary, "Assault on Gay America", in which she was also interviewed.
(the sexual preference for 11-14 year old pubescents) should not be included as a mental disorder in the upcoming revision of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
(DSM-5
), arguing that "large proportions of heterosexual men are sexually attracted to young pubescent girls." Franklin maintains a list of publications discussing the new diagnosis on her website.
Homophobia
Homophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
violence perpetrators. She is adjunct faculty at the California School of Professional Psychology
California School of Professional Psychology
The California School of Professional Psychology , was founded by the California Psychological Association in 1969. It is part of Alliant International University.The school has trained approximately half of the licensed psychologists in California...
, Alliant International University
Alliant International University
Alliant International University is a private, non-profit higher education institution based in San Diego, California. It offers programs in six California cities and four locations outside the United States...
.
Career
She received a fellowship to fund her dissertation on the topic of antigayHomophobia
Homophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
behaviors by young adults from the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation
Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation
The Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation was established by Harry Guggenheim to support research on violence, aggression, and dominance.The foundation writes: "He was convinced that solid, thoughtful, scholarly and scientific research, experimentation, and analysis would in the end accomplish more...
and received recognition from the Monette/Horwitz Trust which "acknowledges the accomplishments of organizations and persons working in arenas ranging from academic research and creative expression to activism and community organizing."
Franklin earned her Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in journalism from San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University is a public university located in San Francisco, California. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers over 100 areas of study from nine academic colleges...
in 1982, and worked as a daily newspaper journalist and a criminal investigator before entering the field of psychology. She earned her Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in Clinical Psychology
Clinical psychology
Clinical psychology is an integration of science, theory and clinical knowledge for the purpose of understanding, preventing, and relieving psychologically-based distress or dysfunction and to promote subjective well-being and personal development...
from the California School of Professional Psychology
California School of Professional Psychology
The California School of Professional Psychology , was founded by the California Psychological Association in 1969. It is part of Alliant International University.The school has trained approximately half of the licensed psychologists in California...
in Alameda, California
Alameda, California
Alameda is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It is located on Alameda Island and Bay Farm Island, and is adjacent to Oakland in the San Francisco Bay. The Bay Farm Island portion of the city is adjacent to the Oakland International Airport. At the 2010 census, the city had a...
, and went on to obtain a postdoctoral fellowship in forensic psychology
Forensic psychology
Forensic psychology is the intersection between psychology and the criminal justice system. It involves understanding criminal law in the relevant jurisdictions in order to be able to interact appropriately with judges, attorneys and other legal professionals...
through the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
.
After working in Washington at a state prison and a mental hospital, she returned to California and started a private forensic psychology practice specializing in the evaluation of criminal and juvenile offenders.
She teaches forensic psychology
Forensic psychology
Forensic psychology is the intersection between psychology and the criminal justice system. It involves understanding criminal law in the relevant jurisdictions in order to be able to interact appropriately with judges, attorneys and other legal professionals...
courses at Alliant International University
Alliant International University
Alliant International University is a private, non-profit higher education institution based in San Diego, California. It offers programs in six California cities and four locations outside the United States...
, and has taught a course on sexual violence
Sexual violence
Sexual violence occurs throughout the world, although in most countries there has been little research conducted on the problem. Due to the private nature of sexual violence, estimating the extent of the problem is difficult...
in the Sexuality Studies Program at San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University is a public university located in San Francisco, California. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers over 100 areas of study from nine academic colleges...
. Her peer-reviewed publications have appeared in the American Behavioral Scientist, the Journal of Interpersonal Violence, the Journal of Forensic Psychology Practice, and other academic publications. Her opinion on the kidnapping of Jaycee Lee Dugard
Kidnapping of Jaycee Lee Dugard
The kidnapping of Jaycee Lee Dugard occurred on June 10, 1991 in South Lake Tahoe, California. Dugard was 11 years old at the time and was abducted from a street while she was walking from home to a school bus stop. Searches began immediately after the kidnapping, but no reliable leads were generated...
has appeared in The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, and she also hosts forensic psychology news blog In the News, and another one on Psychology Today
Psychology Today
Psychology Today is a bi-monthly magazine published in the United States. It is a psychology-based magazine about relationships, health, and related topics written for a mass audience of non-psychologists. Psychology Today was founded in 1967 and features articles on such topics as love,...
called Witness.
Hate crimes research
During the 1990s, a hate crimeHate crime
In crime and law, hate crimes occur when a perpetrator targets a victim because of his or her perceived membership in a certain social group, usually defined by racial group, religion, sexual orientation, disability, class, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, gender identity, social status or...
s lobby in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
resulted in the passage of federal and state laws that increased punishment for crimes in which bias played a role. Much of the extant research on hate crimes relied on victim accounts of perpetrators and their motivations. Thus, Franklin set about to determine the self-described motivations of hate crime offenders themselves through a combination of in-depth interviews and a population survey.
Her finding that many assailants held little animosity toward homosexuals challenged the dominant notions of hate crime motivations. "Although the term hate crime conjures up images of swastikas, burning crosses, bigoted zealots, and a right-wing fringe far removed from America’s more socially tolerant center, … so-called ‘gay-bashings’ by young males suggests that it is a type of transient offense committed primarily as a result of environmental rather than internal psychological factors."
In her 1995 survey of 500 young adults, Franklin found that antigay
Homophobia
Homophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
behaviors were commonplace among a noncriminal population. One-third of her sample, and about half of the young men, admitted to physical violence
Violence
Violence is the use of physical force to apply a state to others contrary to their wishes. violence, while often a stand-alone issue, is often the culmination of other kinds of conflict, e.g...
or namecalling directed at perceived homosexuals. Franklin proposed dividing hate crimes assailants based on the symbolic themes that motivated their assaults. She conceptualized "value expressive assailants" as social norms enforcers who were punishing sexual minorities for perceived moral transgressions, whereas "social expressive assailants" are motivated by social and environmental factors.
Upon publication in 1998, Franklin’s study received extensive media coverage, including in The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
, and elsewhere. Her research was later covered in a 2000 PBS Frontline documentary, "Assault on Gay America", in which she was also interviewed.
Theory of multiple-offender rape
She proposed that group rape of women and violence against homosexuals were “parallel forms of cultural theater, with the victims serving as interchangeable dramatic props.” She argued that the social functions of both types of group violence included social bonding, the celebration of power, and the public display of heterosexual masculinity.Position on psychiatric diagnoses
She is a critic of what she calls "pretextual" uses of psychiatric diagnosis in the forensic arena. She wrote that hebephiliaHebephilia
Hebephilia refers to the sexual preference for individuals in the early years of puberty . Girls typically begin the process of puberty at age 10 or 11; boys at age 11 or 12...
(the sexual preference for 11-14 year old pubescents) should not be included as a mental disorder in the upcoming revision of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is published by the American Psychiatric Association and provides a common language and standard criteria for the classification of mental disorders...
(DSM-5
DSM-5
The next edition of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , commonly called DSM-5 , is currently in consultation, planning and preparation...
), arguing that "large proportions of heterosexual men are sexually attracted to young pubescent girls." Franklin maintains a list of publications discussing the new diagnosis on her website.
Publications
- Franklin, K. (1997). “Unassuming Motivations: Contextualizing the Narratives of Antigay Assailants.” In: G. Herek (Ed.) Stigma and Sexual Orientation. Sage Publications
- Franklin, K. (2000). “Antigay Behaviors by Young Adults: Prevalence, Patterns and Motivators in a Noncriminal Population.” Journal of Interpersonal Violence, Vol. 15 No. 4
- Franklin, K. (2002). "Good Intentions: the Enforcement of Hate Crime Penalty-Enhancement Statutes". American Behavioral Scientist 46: 154. doi:10.1177/0002764202046001010. edit
- Franklin, K. (2004). "Enacting Masculinity: Antigay Violence and Group Rape as Participatory Theater". Sexuality Research and Social Policy: Journal of NSRC 1: 25–20. doi:10.1525/srsp.2004.1.2.25. edit
- Franklin, K. (2008). “Malingering as a Dichotomous Variable: Case Report on an Insanity Defendant,” Journal of Forensic Psychology Practice. Vol. 8 No. 1, pp. 95-107.
- Franklin, K. (2010). "Hebephilia: Quintessence of Diagnostic Pretextuality," Behavioral Sciences and the Law. Published online in Wiley InterScience(www.interscience.wiley.com) DOI: 10.1002/bsl.934