Psychology and Law
Research and Practice
Second Edition
February 2019 | 496 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
Psychology and Law: Research and Practice, 2nd Edition offers the definitive perspective on the practical application of psychological research to the law. Curt R. Bartol and Anne M. Bartol emphasize throughout the text the various roles psychologists and other mental health professionals can play. Insight is offered into the application of psychology in criminal and non-criminal legal matters. Topics such as family law, mental health evaluations, police interrogation, jury selection and decision making, involuntary civil commitment, and various civil capacities are included. This comprehensive book examines complex material in detail and explains it in an easy-to-read way. The authors emphasize the major contributions psychological research has made to the law, and encourage critical analysis through examples of court cases, high-profile current events, and research.
New to This Edition
New to This Edition
- The new edition has been significantly reorganized to more closely align with the progression through the court system.
- A new chapter on children, adolescents, and the criminal law (Chapter 8) is now included.
- Thirty-two new boxes are included, which fall under three themes: case studies, research projects, and contemporary topics. Most boxes now include questions for discussion or further thought.
- New court cases and statutes have been integrated into chapters as relevant.
- Increased coverage of contemporary issues like telepsychology, neuropsychology, adversarial allegiance, and actuarial instruments used in bail and sentence decision-making.
- Updated coverage of adolescent capability and criminal culpability in the eyes of the courts.
- Greater emphasis on Steinberg’s dual system model, and increased coverage of adolescent neuroplasticity.
- Increased coverage of child welfare evaluations and parental alienation syndrome, which has gained attention in some family courts but has not been documented in the psychological research.
- More coverage of juvenile interrogation, false confessions, and plea bargaining.
- More in-depth descriptions of U.S, Supreme Court cases and how they affect the research and practice of psychology.
- Emphases on differences between duty to warn and duty to protect and the wide variations in state laws that reference these duties.
- Discussion of risk communication and the various models proposed for that purpose.
- More emphasis on research in jury and judicial decision-making, including discussion of implicit and explicit bias.
- Addition of over 300 recent research findings on topics related to psychology and law.
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
| Goals and Definitions |
| Psychology and Law: Three Approaches |
| Ways of Knowing and the Methods of Science |
| Ethical Guidelines |
| Psychology and the Law: A Challenging Alliance |
| Defining and Classifying Law |
| Psychology and Law: Some Differences |
| Summary and Conclusions |
| Key Concepts |
CHAPTER 2: PSYCHOLOGY AND THE COURTS: AN OVERVIEW
| Organization of the Courts |
| Federal Courts |
| State Courts |
| Specialized Courts |
| Pre-trial Stage |
| Trial Stage |
| Disposition Stage |
| Appellate Stage |
| Summary and Conclusions |
| Key Concepts |
CHAPTER 3. THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIVE PROCESS
| Overview of Profiling |
| Paths to Admission of Evidence |
| Investigative Interviewing and Interrogation |
| Detection of Deception |
| The Interrogation Process |
| The Psychology of False Confessions |
| Summary and Conclusions |
| Key Concepts |
CHAPTER 4. EYEWITNESS EVIDENCE
| A Brief Word on Research Methodology |
| Human Perception and Memory |
| Estimator and System Variables |
| Eyewitness Estimator Variables |
| Eyewitness System Variables |
| Perserving the Integrity of the System |
| Pre-Trial Identification Methods |
| Lineup Procedures and Lineup Research |
| Show-Ups |
| Summary and Conclusions |
| Key Concepts |
CHAPTER 5. THE TRIAL JURY
| Overview of the Trial Jury |
| Jury Research |
| Jury Selection |
| Scientific Jury Selection (SJS) |
| Jury Size and Decision Rule |
| Decision Rule |
| Jury’s Role During Trial |
| Capital Sentencing Instructions: A Special Issue |
| Jury Nullification |
| Summary and Conclusions |
| Key Concepts |
CHAPTER 6. JURY AND JUDICIAL DECISION MAKING
| The Jury Decision-Making Process |
| Jury Deliberation Style |
| Influences on Jury Decision Making |
| Extra-Evidentiary Factors |
| Deciding on Death Sentence: A Special Issue |
| Damage Awards in Civil Cases: Another Special Issue |
| Judicial Decision Making |
| Summary and Conclusions |
| Key Concepts |
CHAPTER 7. COMPETENCIES AND CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY
| Competency to Stand Trial |
| Competency Assessment Instruments |
| Competency Restoration |
| Competency to be Executed |
| Insanity |
| Clinical Assessment of Criminal Responsibility |
| Special Conditions and Unique Defenses |
| Summary and Conclusions |
| Key Concepts. |
CHAPTER 8. CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS, AND THE CRIMINAL LAW
| Brief History and Overview of Juvenile Court |
| Adolescent Development as it Pertains to the Law |
| Adolescent Competence and Culpability |
| Juvenile Competency |
| Juvenile Interrogation and False Confessions |
| Plea Bargaining |
| Children as Witnesses |
| Summary and Conclusions |
| Key Concepts |
CHAPTER 9. PSYCHOLOGY AND FAMILY LAW
| The Modern Family Court |
| Changes in Family Court in Recent Years |
| Divorce and Child Custody |
| Attempts at Improving the BIC Standard |
| Psychological Effects of Divorce and Custodial Arrangements |
| Roles of Mental Health Professionals in Child Custody |
| Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) |
| Contemporary Special Issues in Custody Decision Making |
| Summary and Conclusions |
| Key Concepts |
CHAPTER 10. INVOLUNTARY CIVIL COMMITMENT
| A Brief History |
| Modern Commitment Statutes |
| Civil Commitment Proceedings |
| Duty to Warn or Protect |
| Research on Dangerousness |
| Involuntary Outpatient Commitment |
| Voluntary Commitments |
| Informed Consent and the Right to Refuse Treatment |
| Civil Commitment of Sex Offenders |
| Summary and Conclusions |
| Key Concepts |
CHAPTER 11. PSYCHOLOGY IN CIVIL LITIGATION
| Civil Capacities |
| End of Life Issues |
| Psychology in the Employment Sphere |
| Wrongful Death and Personal Injury Suits |
| Psychology in the Educational Sphere |
CHAPTER 12. PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT AND THE LAW
| Assessment in Civil Cases |
| Forensic Classifications of Assessment and Testing |
| Clinical Measures and Assessment Techniques |
| Forensically Relevant Instruments |
| Forensic Assessment Instruments |
| Forensic Evaluations in Delinquency Cases |
| Summary and Conclusions |
| Key Concepts |
CASES CITED
REFERENCES
GLOSSARY
NAME INDEX
TOPIC INDEX
