Does trauma spark brazen acts? Do eyewitnesses offer accurate reports? Can jurors distinguish truth from lies? Can experts predict mass shootings? What best explains biasing influences on police? You find the answers to these and other thought-provoking questions in the best-selling WRIGHTMAN'S PSYCHOLOGY AND THE LEGAL SYSTEM, 10E. This edition provides an eye-opening overview of psychology's contributions to the 2022 legal system and the important roles of trained psychologists within the legal system. Real cases, such as Kyle Rittenhouse and Ahmaud Arbery, illustrate the flesh and blood of today’s psychological issues -- from the motivations of offenders to discretion in sentencing. The latest content explores social and racial injustice, current crime statistics and the impact of COVID-19 on crime. New content also examines the psychology behind the latest crime-countering technology as you examine psychology methods and research at work in today’s legal system.

The number of individuals with severe mental illness in the criminal justice system is shockingly high. However, there is a wealth of research that shows that the traditional incarceration model is not effective with this population, and that many of these individuals can be helped in the community at less cost without increased risk to public safety by addressing their risk-relevant needs and improvinge their opportunities for recovery. As a result, during the last decade there has been an increasing interest in community-based alternatives to incarceration for individuals with severe mental illness. The Sequential Intercept Model and Criminal Justice offers an overview of the recent changes in correctional policy and practice that reflect an increased focus on community-based alternatives for offenders. Developed by Drs. Mark Munetz and Patricia Griffin, the Sequential Intercept Model (SIM) identifies five conceptual points at which standard criminal processing can be interrupted to offer community-based alternatives: (1) law enforcement/emergency services; (2) initial detention/initial court hearings; (3) jails/courts; (4) re-entry; and (5) community corrections/support. This volume describes the SIM in detail and reviews empirical evidence for each of its five points of interception. Chapters focus on its implementation, starting with an analysis of the national and state-level initiatives, then addressing specific challenges. A final section suggests how the SIM might be applied successfully to other populations (e.g., those with developmental disabilities). This volume will appeal to policy makers who are considering community-based alternatives, practitioners who carry out these changes, and program evaluators who seek to document the impact of such changes.

Unlike most of the literature in forensic mental health assessment, 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.

Focusing on juvenile transfer and disposition evaluations, this volume provides an up-to-date integration of current law, science, and practice with respect to juvenile risk assessment, treatment needs/amenability, and sophistication-maturity. Included are perspectives relating to international practices, use of specialized assessment tools, and a separate chapter on resentencing following US Supreme Court decisions on juveniles sentenced to mandatory life without parole. This text will be a useful and comprehensive reference for forensic psychologists and other mental health professionals engaged in juvenile evaluation, as well as legal professionals, juvenile and criminal justice professionals, and others involved with juvenile assessment, decision-making, and rehabilitation.

Focusing on juvenile transfer and disposition evaluations, this volume provides an up-to-date integration of current law, science, and practice with respect to juvenile risk assessment, treatment needs/amenability, and sophistication-maturity. Included are perspectives relating to international practices, use of specialized assessment tools, and a separate chapter on resentencing following US Supreme Court decisions on juveniles sentenced to mandatory life without parole. This text will be a useful and comprehensive reference for forensic psychologists and other mental health professionals engaged in juvenile evaluation, as well as legal professionals, juvenile and criminal justice professionals, and others involved with juvenile assessment, decision-making, and rehabilitation.

Public behavioral health organizations serving those involved in the criminal justice system, such as problem-solving courts, correctional facilities, and parole or probation, often lack the necessary resources for long-standing effective treatment, and may struggle to keep up with research standards and retaining funding. To overcome these hurdles, many organizations have turned to university-led collaborations. University and Public Behavioral Health Organization Collaboration in Justice Contexts begins by introducing the relevant purpose and definitions of such partnerships. Each of the nine contributed chapters that follow features a particular collaboration between a university and a public behavioral health organization. Chapters are structured around a description of the collaboration's purposes, beginning, leadership, who is served, services, operations, effectiveness measurement, and financial arrangements. The descriptions provided of each project are then aggregated into a larger model for success which is detailed in the final chapter, along with a distillation of lessons learned in building, operating, and sustaining a successful collaboration. These lessons are grouped into specific categories: planning, working together, training, consultation, financial considerations, personnel, and research. By considering these nine exemplary projects and what they can teach us about such collaborations, this book constitutes an essential guide for those looking to establish comparable partnerships between universities and public behavioral health organizations in a criminal justice context.

Problem-solving courts provide judicially supervised treatment for behavioral health needs commonly found among criminal offenders, including substance abuse and mental health disorders, and they treat a variety of offender populations. These courts employ a team-based approach consisting of a judge, defense attorney, prosecutor, and treatment providers, representing a significant paradigm shift in how the justice system treats offenders with special needs. Despite the proliferation of problem-solving courts, there remains some uncertainty about how they function, how effective they are, and the most promising ways to implement problem-solving justice. Problem-Solving Courts and the Criminal Justice System provides a comprehensive foundation of knowledge related to problem-solving courts and the role they play in the United States criminal justice system. The book begins with an overview that explores precipitating factors in these courts' development, relevant political influence, and their history, purposes, benefits, and drawbacks, followed by a detailed discussion of specific types of problem solving courts, including drug courts, mental health courts, and veterans courts, among many others. Next a review of the legal and ethical considerations of alternative methods to standard prosecution is complemented by an examination of the methodological challenges faced by researchers when attempting to study the effectiveness of problem-solving courts. The book concludes with a discussion of future directions in terms of research, practice, and policy relating to these courts in the United States. Problem-Solving Courts and the Criminal Justice System is appropriate for professionals, researchers, and students in the fields of mental health, criminal justice, and law.

Unlike most of the literature in forensic mental health assessment, 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.

Does trauma spark brazen acts? Are eyewitnesses accurate reporters? Can jurors distinguish truth from lies? Answer these and more in WRIGHTMAN'S PSYCHOLOGY AND THE LEGAL SYSTEM, 9th Edition. Real cases such as Bill Cosby and Dylann Roof illustrate the flesh and blood of the psychological issues considered in the book--from the motivations of offenders to discretion in sentencing. This book gives you an eye-opening overview of psychology's contributions to the legal system--and the many roles available to trained psychologists within the system.

Forensic mental health assessment (FMHA) continues to develop and expand as a specialization. Since the publication of the First Edition of Forensic Mental Health Assessment: A Casebook over a decade ago, there have been a number of significant changes in the applicable law, ethics, science, and practice that have shaped the conceptual and empirical underpinnings of FMHA. The Second Edition of Forensic Mental Health Assessment is thoroughly updated in light of the developments and changes in the field, while still keeping the unique structure of presenting cases, detailed reports, and specific teaching points on a wide range of topics. Unlike anything else in the literature, it provides genuine (although disguised) case material, so trainees as well as legal and mental health professionals can review how high-quality forensic evaluation reports are written; it features contributions from leading experts in forensic psychology and psychiatry, providing samples of work in their particular areas of specialization; and it discusses case material in the larger context of broad foundational principles and specific teaching points, making it a valuable resource for teaching, training, and continuing education. Now featuring 50 real-world cases, this new edition covers topics including criminal responsibility, sexual offending risk evaluation, federal sentencing, capital sentencing, capacity to consent to treatment, personal injury, harassment and discrimination, guardianship, juvenile commitment, transfer and decertification, response style, expert testimony, evaluations in a military context, and many more. It will be invaluable for anyone involved in assessments for the courts, including psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and attorneys, as well as for FMHA courses.

Juvenile offending and anti-social behaviour are enormous societal concerns. This broad-reaching volume summarizes the current evidence on prevention, diversion, causes, and rates of delinquency, as well as assessment of risk and intervention needs. A distinguished cast of contributors from law, psychology, and psychiatry describe what we know about interventions in school, community, and residential contexts, focusing particularly on interventions that are risk reducing and cost effective. Equally important, each chapter comments on what is not well supported through research, distinguishing aspects of current practice that are likely to be effective from those that are not and mapping new directions for research, policy, and practice. Finally, the volume provides a description of a model curriculum for training legal and mental health professionals on conducting relevant assessments of adolescents for the courts. Effectively bridging research and practice, this will be an important resource for legal and mental health professionals involved in the juvenile justice system, policy makers seeking humane but effective interventions in the context of society's need for safety, and those involved in teaching about and training in juvenile delinquency.

WRIGHTMAN'S PSYCHOLOGY AND THE LEGAL SYSTEM shows you the critical importance of psychology's concepts and methods to the functioning of many aspects of today's legal system. Featuring topics such as competence to stand trial, the insanity defense, expert forensic testimony, analysis of eye witness identification, criminal profiling, and many others, this best-selling book gives you a comprehensive overview of psychology's contributions to the legal system, and the many roles available to trained psychologists within the system. Available with InfoTrac (R) Student Collections http://gocengage.com/infotrac.

Forensic mental health assessment (FMHA) has grown into a specialization informed by research and professional guidelines. This series presents up-to-date information on the most important and frequently conducted forms of FMHA. The 19 topical volumes address best approaches to practice for particular types of evaluation in the criminal, civil, and juvenile/family areas. Each volume contains a thorough discussion of the relevant legal and psychological concepts, followed by a step-by-step description of the assessment process from preparing for the evaluation to writing the report and testifying in court.
Volumes include the following helpful features:
Boxes that zero in on important information for use in evaluations
Tips for best practice and cautions against common pitfalls
Highlighting of relevant case law and statutes
Separate list of assessment tools for easy reference
Helpful glossary of key terms for the particular topic
In making recommendations for best practice, authors consider empirical support, legal relevance, and consistency with ethical and professional standards. These volumes offer invaluable guidance for anyone involved in conducting or using forensic evaluations.

The APA Handbook of Psychology and Juvenile Justice consolidates and advances knowledge about the legal, scientific, and applied foundations of the juvenile justice system. In addition to an overview of the area, it contains chapters in the following sections: Relevant Law (focusing on important legislation and on U.S. Supreme Court decisions from Kent and Gault to Eddings, Roper, Graham, and Miller-Jackson, and on the relevant legal theory of preventive justice for dolescents) Human Development (describing research on adolescent development and brain development as they apply to behavior in the juvenile justice context) Patterns of Offending (including evidence about offending in juveniles and the persistence vs. desistance into adulthood) Risk Factors for Offending (evidence about risk factors for juvenile offending including Risk-Need-Responsivity theory, juvenile psychopathy, substance abuse, gangs, and trauma/adverse experience, as well as threat assessment and bullying prevention in schools) Forensic Assessment (assessing risk, needs/amenability, and sophistication-maturity as part of legal decisions on commitment, transfer, and reverse transfer, as well as legal decisions on Miranda waiver capacity and competence to stand trial) Interventions (evidence on risk-reducing interventions, both in the community and in residential placement, including for specialized offending of sexual offenders) Training and Ethics (including the updated MacArthur curriculum on adolescents in the juvenile justice system and an analysis of the ethical issues particular to juvenile justice)