Forensic Psychology - Hardcover

Wrightsman, Lawrence S.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0534526799 ISBN 13: 9780534526795

Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing, 2000

Written by the foremost authority in the field, this practical book introduces students to the practice of forensic psychology. Wrightsman clearly presents the roles and responsibilities of forensic psychologists and addresses both the opportunities and temptations inherent in the role. Through this lens, Wrightsman explores the ethical responsibilities of the field such as promising clients too much, the possibility of becoming advocates rather than objective scientists, and the pitfalls associated with substituting one's values for data. Wrightsman's broad view of forensics shows readers the variety of ways that psychologists aid the legal system such as serving as expert witnesses, criminal profiling, trial consulting, determining child custody decisions, assisting in jury selection, and testifying about battered women syndrome or rape trauma. Wrightsman provides students with an accurate and candid picture of the field, while at the same time, demonstrating the variety and depth of opportunities available.

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About the Author:

Lawrence S. Wrightsman (Ph.D., University of Minnesota, 1959) was professor of psychology at the University of Kansas, Lawrence. Wrightsman authored or edited ten other books relevant to the legal system, including Psychology and the Legal System (4th edition, coauthored with Michael T. Nietzel and William H. Fortune), The American Jury on Trial (coauthored with Saul M. Kassin), and Judicial Decision Making: Is Psychology Relevant? He was invited to contribute the entry on the law and psychology for the recently published Encyclopedia of Psychology, sponsored by the American Psychological Association and published by Oxford University Press. His research topics included jury selection procedures, reactions to police interrogations, and the impact of judicial instructions. He also served as a trial consultant and testified as an expert witness. Wrightsman is a former president of both the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues and the Society of Personality and Social Psychology. In 1998 he was the recipient of a Distinguished Career Award from the American Psychology-Law Society. This award has been made on only six occasions in the 30-year history of the organization; the preceding awardee was U.S. Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun.

Review:

"Easy to read, uses a lot of contemporary cases and I am certain it will keep the interest of students...Comprehensive...Covers the various types of work which forensic psychologists engage in. Rich with relevant research."

"An excellent introduction to forensic psychology...a very nice balance of research and theory, along with more practical aspects.... Wrightsman should be applauded for bringing so much information to bear in a highly readable as well as highly informative text."

"The authoris own experience with forensic psychology is quite evident...Clearly written and includes numerous lively cases, anecdotes, and personal profiles."

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