Forensic Psychology: The Use of Behavioral Science in Civil and Criminal Justice

Includes background information on major psychological paradigms and research methods. Includes an overview of law, its functions, its methods, and judicial processes. Contains a chapter dedicated to forensic clinical assessment and an appendix with the major diagnostic criteria for mental disorders that have particular relevance to forensic psychology. Contains a chapter critiquing behavioral science, focusing on its roles in the medicalization of deviance and social control. In-depth, interdisciplinary coverage (i.e., sociology, psychology, philosophy, and law) of all of the major uses of behavioral science in both the civil and criminal justice systems, including: Competency to stand trial; The insanity defense; Diminished capacity based defenses such as the Black Rage Defense, the PMS Defense, media Intoxication defenses; the Battered Woman's Syndrome Defense, and other others; Criminal Competencies to plead guilty, waive counsel, testify, waive an insanity defense, be sentenced, and be executed; Involuntary civil commitment; and Civil competencies regarding contracts, wills, parental fitness, and guardianship/conservatorship. Interdisciplinary coverage of police psychology, the psychology of juries, and the psychology of sentencing, punishment, and corrections. Citations to and discussions of leading cases relevant to each topic.