Book Description
In recent years, the public has become increasingly fascinated with the criminal mind.Television series centered on courtroom trials, criminal investigations, and forensic psychology are more popular than ever.More and more people are interested in the American system of justice and the individuals who experience it firsthand.Minds on Trial: Great Cases in Law and Psychology gives you an inside view of 20 of the highest profile legal cases of the last 50 years.Drs. Ewing and McCann take you "behind the scenes" of each of these cases, some involving celebrities like Woody Allen, Mike Tyson, and Patty Hearst, and explain the impact they had on the fields of psychology and the law.Many of the cases in this book, whether involving a celebrity client or an ordinary person in an extraordinary circumstance, were determined in part by the expert testimony of a psychologist or other mental health professional. Psychology has always played a vital role in so many aspects of the American legal system, and these fascinating trials offer insight into many intriguing psychological issues.In addition to expert testimony, some of the issues discussed in this entertaining and educational book include the insanity defense, brainwashing, criminal profiling, capital punishment, child custody, juvenile delinquency, and false confessions.In Minds on Trial, the authors skillfully convey the psychological and legal drama of each case, while providing important and fresh professional insights.Mental health and legal professionals, as well as others with an interest in psychology and the law will have a hard time putting this scholarly, yet readable book down. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Educational and entertaining
The authors provide a scholarly yet entertaining look behind the scenes to the expert psychological evidence in 20 renowned cases. Some of the cases involve household names - Lee Harvey Oswald, Patricia Hearst, Jeffrey Dahmer, John Hinckley Jr., Dan White, Judas Priest, Woody Allen, Mike Tyson. Others are seminal cases in which the names are less well known - the fascinating 1956 case of "mad bomber" George Metesky, credited with initiating the field of criminal profiling, the Guildford Four IRA bombing case in 1974 that led to psychological interest in false confessions (and Icelandic psychologist Gisli Gudjonsson's development of an instrument to measure interrogative suggestibility), and the case of Daryl Atkins, in which the U.S. Supreme Court abolished the death penalty for the mentally retarded.

This book is appropriate for both professionals in forensic psychology and law and also for laypeople who enjoy fact-based accounts of true crime. I assign my graduate students several chapters as examples of forensic topics. In particular, the chapter on the USS Iowa explosion, which catalogues the failure of the "equivocal death analysis" technique, is a great example of the shortcomings of forensic profiling. And the chapter on Colin Ferguson provides a vivid example of the whittling down of competency jurisprudence in the wake of the 1993 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Godinez v. Moran.

Minds on Trial is well-written, factually accurate, and educational. Yet it still works as entertaining bedtime reading. I recommend it highly.

An Accessible Treasure
In "Minds on Trial," the authors, Charles Patrick Ewing and Joseph McCann select 20 cases from roughly the past 50 years in which there is a fascinating intersection between law and psychology. The work initially looks like a book the casual reader may have some difficulty getting through. Such is not the case as each of the 20 cases are broken down into manageable chapters and are written in such a way so as to engage even the casual reader.

The cases that are the most fascinating include, George Metesky and the work of the psychological profiler; The Guildford Four which shows the danger of involuntary confessions; Prosenjit Poddar and Tatiana Tarasoff and the development of the requirement now known as a "Tarasoff Letter;" John Demjanjuk and vicisitude of identification testimony conducted over several year; and the USS Iowa and the failure of equivocal death analysis.

In many cases, the case comes down to a "battle of the experts" which illustrates just how important expert testimony has become in our legal system. The authors' only apparent bias aoppears to lie against those expert witnesses whose opinion is bought and sold by fee. In many of the cases, such biased experts take the hardest falls. ... Read more

Book Description
In its roughly 25 years of existence, the trial consulting profession has grown dramatically in membership, recognition, and breadth of practice. What began as a small activist group of social scientists volunteering their expertise to assist in the defense of Vietnam War protestors has evolved into a diverse set of professionals from a range of educational and professional backgrounds. In spite of such enormous growth, the work of trial consultants has gone largely unexamined. Trial Consulting takes an in-depth look at the primary activities of trial consultants, including witness preparation, focus groups and mock trials, jury selection, change of venue surveys, and attorney presentation style. It also examines the profession's struggle to define itself, resisting certification and licensure requirements and settling instead for a set of practice standards. The authors draw upon empirical and other scholarly work in the social sciences, recommended "best practices" from trial lawyers, and the written and spoken recommendations and reflections of the trial consultants themselves. Addressing a broad spectrum of topics ranging from handwriting analysis to medical malpractice cases, they also suggest reforms for improving the profession and the efficacy of the trial consultant in the courtroom. The result is a critical analysis of what trial consulting truly adds to, and detracts from, the administration of justice.This book is an indispensable guide for practicing and aspiring trial consultants as well as the judges, attorneys, and psychologists who work with them.Trial Consulting provides a thought-provoking statement on the state of the profession, and students and professionals alike will benefit from the challenges it offers. ... Read more

Book Description
Unlike most of the literature in forensic mental health assessment, which is organized around specific legal issues, this book posits the existence of broad principles of forensic assessment that are applicable across different legal issues and are derived from and supported by sources of authority in ethics, law, science, and professional practice. The author describes and analyzes twenty-nine broad principles of forensic mental health assessment within this framework. ... Read more

Book Description
Children's Testimony offers a comprehensive and up-to-date assessment of issues relating to children's evidence. Starting with psychological underpinnings and child protection considerations, the reader is taken through a clearly structured and timely collection of chapters from internationally renowned contributors.
Pointers for practitioners are clearly highlighted throughout and a unique, jargon-free glossary of psychological terms encountered in child witness research is included making this a highly practical text.
* An accessible review of existing knowledge and preview of new and recent developments in psychological research and forensic practice
* An outstanding group of international contributors
* Offers a broad scope that considers all the key areas of research and practice ... Read more

Book Description
Psychological data have now become central in many areas of legal practice including criminal, health care, and child custody domains. Unfortunately, the professional and empirical literature has not kept pace with this proliferation.
Forensic Psychology: From Classroom to Courtroom fills this void, synthesizing the contributing authors' expertise into a versatile, authoritative, and empirically-derived delineation of the current status of psychological practice in each topic area, relative strengths and weaknesses of current behavioral evidence of forming legal/forensic opinions, and recommendations for future work. The book includes a discussion of the propagation of forensic psychology as a field of specialization, professional preparation issues for training as a forensic psychologist, unique ethical concerns, and an authoritative discussion of issues in several prominent areas of forensic psychology practice. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Review from Choice Magazine
'Covering the history of forensic psychology up to the present, van Dorsten discusses everything from ethics and standards to courtroom application and tips for testifying. He looks at different types of psychological tests and at their application to forensic matters (versus in standard psychological evaluation). Specific detailed sections treat the use of forensic assessment in the areas of malingering, competency in criminal proceedings, court-ordered mental health treatment, child custody and child abuse cases, and sexual offenses. Also covered are forensic neuropsychology (i.e., evaluation of brain injuries) and forensic psychological evaluations in personal injury civil lawsuits. Excellent examples are used to clarify points. Summing up: Recommended. Collections supporting study of this specialized area of psychology; upper-division undergraduates and above.' J. A. Brown, Kaplan Choice Magazine May 2003 Vol. 40 No. 09

Excellent survey for both experienced clinicians or students
Though this collection of essays is primarily addressed to graduate students in psychology studying forensic mental health, it provides much sophistication in all the areas it covers. The articles are well written, and cover the field well. A very useful general reference of value to both students and experienced forensic mental health clinicians. ... Read more

Book Description

The interdisciplinary field of psychology and law appeals to students, psychological scientists, psychologist practitioners, and members of the legal and public policy professions, such as lawyers, judges, lawmakers, and other administrators of justice. This young field of research and practice is noted for its intellectual diversity, as it draws on all of the traditional subdisciplines of psychology and on various domains of law, legal practice, and public policy. Although this diversity is in many respects a very desirable feature, it creates many challenges as well. In particular, the breadth of research and practice contributes to a dearth of comprehensive reference sources and makes it difficult for individual students, scientists, and practitioners to keep current with the growing knowledge base outside of their individual areas of expertise.

This Encyclopedia of Psychology and Law will address research and practice in the interface of psychology and law. It will survey the traditional subdisciplines of psychology: cognitive (e.g., eyewitness testimony), developmental (e.g., childrens testimony), social (e.g., jury behavior), clinical (e.g., assessment of competence), biological (e.g., the polygraph), and industrial-organizational psychology (e.g., sexual harassment in the workplace). Published as two volumes and consisting of approximately 350 to 400 entries (1,000 printed pages), the Encyclopedia will provide an authoritative and comprehensive A-to-Z list of topics in psychology and law of interest to students, scientists, and practitioners. Entries will vary in length from 1,000 to 3,000 words, will be written in clear and concise language, and will be designed to inform without overwhelming the reader. Entries will be organized with the use of a Readers Guide, which will contain such categories as Criminal Behavior and Treatment, Juvenile Offenders, Eyewitness Memory, Forensic Assessment and Diagnosis, and Trial Processes.

Book Description
With the media spotlight on the recent developments concerning the Supreme Court, more and more people have become increasingly interested in the highest court in the land.Who are the justices that run it and how do they make their decisions?The Psychology of the Supreme Court by Lawrence S. Wrightsman is the first book to thoroughly examine the psychology of Supreme Court decision-making.Dr. Wrightsman's book seeks to help us understand all aspects of the Supreme Court's functioning from a psychological perspective.This timely and comprehensive work addresses many factors of influence including, the background of the justices, how they are nominated and appointed, the role of their law clerks, the power of the Chief Justice, and the day-to-day life in the Court.Dr. Wrightsman uses psychological concepts and research findings from the social sciences to examine the steps of the decision-making process, as well as the ways in which the justices seek to remain collegial in the face of conflict and the degree of predictability in their votes.Psychologists and scholars, as well as those of us seeking to unravel the mystery of The Supreme Court of the United States will find this book to be an eye-opening read. ... Read more

Book Description
Careers in Psychology and Law is a supplemental text that deals the work involved, salaries, and training available for various careers in psychology. The book contains profiles of practicing psychologists to give students a clear sense of what each career involves. For example, there is a profile of Karen Franklin on expert testimony, a profile of Scyatta Wallace who is a congressional fellow, as well as Lawrence Wrightsman for forensic psychology. ... Read more

Book Description
During his term as President of APA-LS/Division 41, James Ogloff organized a comprehensive program of research reviews in the area of the law and psychology. Taking Psychology and Law into the Twenty-First Century is the product of that program.
In these pages top scholars contribute chapters covering a wide range of topics including jurisprudence, competency, children, forensic risk assessment, eyewitness testimony, jurors and juries, lawsuits, and civil law. Also included is an introductory chapter by the editor.
The result is a unique and comprehensive treatment of the issues at the confluence of these disciplines. ... Read more

Book Description

In recent decades, courts have turned increasingly to mental health professionals to assist them in evaluating the many factors that are relevant to laws concerning the care and protection of children and termination of parental rights. At the same time, the legal system has challenged the role of experts by setting high admissibility standards for scientific integrity and objectivity in forensic consultation and assessment practice. The purpose of this book is to lay the foundation for solid conceptual and methodological approaches for mental health professionals in offering effective responses to legal standards and to the needs of individuals regarding care and protection issues. Although termination of parental rights cases are the predominant focus of the book, attention also is given to consultation and evaluations for service planning purposes, the impact of maltreatment on children, diagnostic and treatment planning, issues of family process, amenability to treatment, potential family reunification, and post-termination pre-adoption questions.

Customer Reviews (2)

Best Book on this topic
This is the best book so far on this topic.I found the chapters on theory and research were comprehensive but easy to digest.

A good original source for care and protection evaluations.
This book provides a strong foundation for assessment in care and protection matters, and it is full of practical advice.It is a good text for graduate students studying forensic psychology, and for seasoned psychologists, psychiatrists, lawyers, and judges who practice in this area. ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document is an article from Psychiatry, Psychology and Law, published by Australian Academic Press Pty. Ltd. on April 1, 2003. The length of the article is 4953 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The treatment of multicultural issues in contemporary forensic psychology textbooks.
Author: Martine B. Powell
Publication: Psychiatry, Psychology and Law (Refereed)
Date: April 1, 2003
Publisher: Australian Academic Press Pty. Ltd.
Volume: 10Issue: 1Page: 254(8)

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Book Description
The criminal justice system has devised several procedural safeguards to protect defendants from erroneous conviction resulting from mistaken eyewitness identification. Mistaken Identification: The Eyewitness, Psychology, and the Law reviews the empirical research bearing on the adequacy of those safeguards. After summarizing the research on the accuracy of eyewitness identification, the authors examine diverse factors that influence identification accuracy and review recent research on the effectiveness of commonly used safeguards. This body of literature converges on the conclusion that traditional safeguards such as presence of counsel at lineups, cross-examination, and judges' instructions are ineffective against mistaken eyewitness identification. Expert psychological testimony on eyewitness memory, designed to educate the jury about how memory processes work and how eyewitness testimony should be evaluated, shows much greater promise of protection against mistaken identifications and erroneous convictions. Mistaken Identification is an invaluable text for advanced psychology students, law students, and researchers of memory.Download Description
The criminal justice system has devised several procedural safeguards to protect defendants from erroneous conviction resulting from mistaken eyewitness identification. Mistaken Identification: The Eyewitness, Psychology and the Law reviews the empirical research bearing on the adequacy of those safeguards. This body of literature converges on the conclusion that traditional safeguards such as presence of counsel at lineups, cross-examination, and judges' instructions, are ineffective safeguards against mistaken eyewitness identification. Expert psychological testimony on eyewitness memory, designed to educate the jury about how memory processes work and how eyewitness testimony should be evaluated, shows much greater promise as a safeguard against mistaken identifications and erroneous convictions.Mistaken Identification is an invaluable text for advanced psychology students, law students and researchers of memory. ... Read more

Book Description
Subtle but nonetheless coercive influences exist in our system of criminal justice. The purpose of this edited volume is to help expose these largely unrecognized forms of psychological manipulation that undermine the integrity of American jurisprudence. The chapters are authored by psychologists, criminologists, and legal scholars who have contributed significantly to our understanding of the pressures that insidiously operate when the goal of law enforcement is to elicit self-incriminating behavior from suspected criminals. Contrary to what the police and the general public generally believe, it is now clear that standard techniques of interrogation can cause innocent people to falsely confess. Many of the wrongful convictions that have recently been brought to light, primarily as a result of DNA testing, establish conclusively that unreliable confession evidence is a serious problem that must be solved if further miscarriages of justice are to be prevented.
What are the various forms of psychological coercion? When and to whom is it applied? What effect does it have on the truly innocent suspect? To what extent is this nonassaultive form of coercion detected by trial fact finders? What are some ways in which such coercion can be minimized during interrogations or in other contexts in which law enforcement is seeking to obtain self-incriminating evidence from suspected criminals? These are some of the important questions posed by the authors, and at least in some instances, partial or preliminary answers are provided. It is hoped that this volume will serve as a clarion call for further investigation directed at both exposing the variety of ways in which coercive influences can adversely affect criminal justice and generating research-based solutions for minimizing such effects. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An excellent, scholarly work.
Each chapter of this book is well written and greatly informative.The book concentrates on false confessions, but there is an interesting chapter on entrapment.A must-read for forensic psychologists, defense attorneys, and police detectives who are dealing with confession evidence. ... Read more

Book Description
Adjudicative competence remains an important topic of research and practice in psychology and law. In the five sections of Adjudicative Competence: The MacArthur Studies, the authors present not only a summary of the research of the MacArthur studies on competence but also an examination of the underlying theoretical work of Professor Richard Bonnie. It is the first publication to encapsulate the scope and significance of both the studies themselves and Bonnie's contributions. There is no other source available that addresses this range of topics.
Given its breadth and scope, this book will be a "must have" for forensic mental health professionals, an important volume for lawyers, and a vital academic reference work. ... Read more

Book Description
A provacative critique of the relationaship between the legal system and psychology that uses chaos theory to offer a more humane ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document is an article from Psychiatry, Psychology and Law, published by Australian Academic Press Pty. Ltd. on November 1, 2004. The length of the article is 1673 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Personal Construct Perspectives on Forensic Psychology.(Book Review)
Author: Bill Warren
Publication: Psychiatry, Psychology and Law (Refereed)
Date: November 1, 2004
Publisher: Australian Academic Press Pty. Ltd.
Volume: 11Issue: 2Page: 377(3)

Article Type: Book Review

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Book Description
This digital document is an article from Psychiatry, Psychology and Law, published by Australian Academic Press Pty. Ltd. on April 1, 2003. The length of the article is 3478 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: A review of approaches to forensic risk assessment in Australia and New Zealand.
Author: Callum A. MacCall
Publication: Psychiatry, Psychology and Law (Refereed)
Date: April 1, 2003
Publisher: Australian Academic Press Pty. Ltd.
Volume: 10Issue: 1Page: 221(6)

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Book Description
This digital document is an article from Psychiatry, Psychology and Law, published by Thomson Gale on November 1, 2006. The length of the article is 5370 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: What is the role of intertextuality in media depictions of mental illness? Implications for forensic psychiatry.(United Kingdom, New Zealand)
Author: Raymond Nairn
Publication: Psychiatry, Psychology and Law (Magazine/Journal)
Date: November 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 13Issue: 2Page: 243(8)

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Book Description
This digital document is an article from Psychiatry, Psychology and Law, published by Thomson Gale on November 1, 2005. The length of the article is 8603 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: On being insane in medico-legal places: the importance of taking a complete history in forensic mental health assessment.(Australia)
Author: Peter C. Gaughwin
Publication: Psychiatry, Psychology and Law (Magazine/Journal)
Date: November 1, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 12Issue: 2Page: 298(13)

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