Shari Seidman Diamond Scholars interested in psychology and law are fond of c1aiming origins for psycholegal research that date back four score and three years ago to Hugo von Munsterberg's On the Witness Stand, published in 1908. These early roots can mislead the casual observer about the history of psychology and law. Vigorous and sustained research in the field is a recent phenomenon. It is only 15 years since the first review of psy chology and law appeared in the Annual Review of Psychology (Tapp, 1976). The following year saw the first issue of Law and Human Behavior, the official publication of the American Psychology-Law Society and now the journal of the American Psychological Associ ation's Division of Psychology and Law. Few psychology departments offered even a single course in psychology and law before 1973, while by 1982 1/4 of psychology graduate programs had at least one course, and a number had begun to offer forensic minors and/or joint J. D. / Ph. D. programs (Freeman & Roesch, see Chapter 28). Yet this short period of less than 20 years has seen a dramatic level of activity. Its strengths and weaknesses, excitements and disappointments, are aII captured in the collection of chapters published in this first Handbook of Psychology and Law. In describing what we have learned ab out psychology and law, the works included here also reveal the questions we have yet to answer and thus offer a blueprint for activities in the next 20 years.

The second edition of this popular international handbook highlights the developing relationship between psychology and the law. Consisting of all-new material and drawing on the work of practitioners and academics from the UK, Europe, North America and elsewhere, this volume looks not only at the more traditional elements of psychology and the law - the provision of psychological assessments about individuals to the courts - but also many of the recent developments, such as the interaction between psychologists and other professionals, decision-making by judges and juries, and the shaping of social policy and political debate. Contemporary and authoritative in its scope, the second edition of The Handbook of Psychology in Legal Contexts will again prove to be a valuable resource for scholars and students, as well as being a vital tool for all professionals working in the field. * Well known editors and an international list of authors, most of whom are leaders in their field * Focus on psychological concepts and knowledge that will enlighten best practice and research * The focus on process and issues ensures that the book is not limited in interest by specific legal codes or legislation, it is international * More than an updating of the old chapters, really a rethinking of the field and what is now important and emerging

Shari Seidman Diamond Scholars interested in psychology and law are fond of c1aiming origins for psycholegal research that date back four score and three years ago to Hugo von Munsterberg's On the Witness Stand, published in 1908. These early roots can mislead the casual observer about the history of psychology and law. Vigorous and sustained research in the field is a recent phenomenon. It is only 15 years since the first review of psy chology and law appeared in the Annual Review of Psychology (Tapp, 1976). The following year saw the first issue of Law and Human Behavior, the official publication of the American Psychology-Law Society and now the journal of the American Psychological Associ ation's Division of Psychology and Law. Few psychology departments offered even a single course in psychology and law before 1973, while by 1982 1/4 of psychology graduate programs had at least one course, and a number had begun to offer forensic minors and/or joint J. D. / Ph. D. programs (Freeman & Roesch, see Chapter 28). Yet this short period of less than 20 years has seen a dramatic level of activity. Its strengths and weaknesses, excitements and disappointments, are aII captured in the collection of chapters published in this first Handbook of Psychology and Law. In describing what we have learned ab out psychology and law, the works included here also reveal the questions we have yet to answer and thus offer a blueprint for activities in the next 20 years.

Presenting state-of-the-art research, this Handbook summarises emerging and establishing topics in the area of legal decision-making. Interdisciplinary in its approach, it covers decisions made within the criminal justice system, the trial process, and clinical settings. Chapters, written by accomplished academics and experts in the field, synthesize historical context, identify gaps in existing literature, propose future directions of study, and discuss policy limitations. It also includes 'perspectives from the field' essays written by professionals - a judge, an attorney, a police officer, a trial consultant, and a probation officer - to bridge the gap between academic research and its application to the real world. It is intended as a go-to resource for students and researchers who want to immerse themselves in a body of scientific research to understand its history and shape its future.

The field of psychology-law is extremely broad, encompassing a strikingly large range of topic areas in both applied psychology and experimental psychology. Importantly, both applied and experimental psychologists have made meaningful contributions to the psychology-law field, and each of these domains includes a range of well-developed topic areas with robust empirical support. Despite the continued and rapid growth of the field, there is no current and comprehensive resource that provides coverage of the major topic areas in the psychology-law field. The Oxford Handbook of Psychology and Law fills this gap and offers an up-to-date, scholarly, and broad overview of psychology-law topics. David DeMatteo and Kyle C. Scherr have brought together a diverse group of highly esteemed applied and experimental researchers and scholars to discuss key topics in the field from both national and international perspectives. The volume is broadly divided into three sections: foundational psychology-law, applied psychology-law, and experimental-psychology-law. The Foundational Psychology-Law section includes chapters that are relevant to both applied psychology and experimental psychology, making a unique contribution that ties together the applied and experimental aspects of the field. The Applied Psychology-Law section provides coverage of topics related to the provision of forensic services (broadly defined) in criminal and civil legal contexts. Lastly, the Experimental Psychology-Law section covers empirically examined legal system issues and outcomes related to victims, offenders, witnesses, attorneys, and triers of fact. With comprehensive coverage of both applied and experimental topic areas and chapters written by a diverse group of well-established psychology-law scholars and emerging future leaders, this Handbook presents emerging, cutting-edge topics in psychology-law that will continue to grow and meaningfully shape future research programs and policy reform.

Psychology and Law offers the definitive perspective on the practical application of psychological research to the law. Authors Curt R. Bartol and Anne M. Bartol emphasize the various roles psychologists and other mental health professionals can play throughout the text. Insight is offered into the application of psychology in criminal and non-criminal matters. Topics such as family law, insanity, police interrogation, jury selection and decision making, involuntary civil commitment, and various civil capacities are included. This comprehensive text 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. “The writing is concise and student-friendly. . . . The text incorporates contemporary cases and information and maintains a good balance between the important issues in psychology and law.” —Barbara Abbott, New England College