Forensic and Legal Psychology

Available in print and e-book formats, Mark Costanzo and Daniel Krauss’s text show students how psychological science can be used to reduce crime, improve legal decision making, and promote justice. Fully integrated discussions of real cases and trials, along with other examples of the legal system in action, show how research and theory can deepen our understanding of suspects, criminals, police, victims, lawyers, witnesses, judges, and jurors.

Chapter 1: Psychology and Law: A Cautious Alliance
Chapter 2: Lie Detection
Chapter 3: Interrogations and Confessions
Chapter 4: The Psychology of Forensic Identification: DNA, Fingerprints, and Other Types of Physical Trace Evidence
Chapter 5: Criminal Profiling and Psychological Autopsies
Chapter 6: Eyewitness Identification and Testimony
Chapter 7: Child Sexual Abuse: Interviewing Children and Assessing the Recovered Memories of Adults
Chapter 8: Competency to Stand Trial
Chapter 9: Plea Bargaining, Jury Selection, and Trial Procedure
Chapter 10: The Insanity Defense
Chapter 11: Intimate Partner Violence, Battered Woman Syndrome, Rape Trauma Syndrome, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Chapter 12: Juries and Judges as Decision Makers
Chapter 13: Child Custody Disputes
Chapter 14: Workplace Law: Harassment, Discrimination, and Fairness
Chapter 15: Predicting Violent Behavior: The Psychology of Risk Assessment
Chapter 16: Corrections: Sentencing, Imprisonment, and Alternatives
Chapter 17: The Death Penalty