Introduction to Forensic Psychology: Research and Application

"Perhaps the highest compliment I can offer is that I have been teaching this course for 15 years but learned a good deal of new information. . . . The book is scholarly, well written, interesting, and of appropriate length and depth for a survey class."

                                                                             -Dr. Mike Aamodt, Radford University

"The text is very good overall. In addition, any points I usually have to remember to discuss because they are not covered in my current texts, are covered well in this book. . . . Students want to know how certain offenders differ from non-offenders and other types of offenders. The authors speak to this desire for knowledge, while freely admitting the limits of the field′s knowledge. Well done!"

                                                              -Dr. Kelly Goodness, University of Texas, Dallas

Introduction to Forensic Psychology provides a broad examination of forensic psychology and concentrates on the application side of the field, focusing on research-based forensic practice. Throughout the book, the authors emphasize the professional application of psychological knowledge, concepts, and principles to both the civil and criminal justice systems. Introduction to Forensic Psychology exposes readers to the many careers related to the field and emphasizes the multicultural perspective, such as racial issues, mental and physical disabilities, sexual orientation, and gender discrimination, which is an integral part of the work of forensic psychologists.

Features of this text:

Comprehensive: The book covers a wide range of topics and clearly distinguishes the diverse fields of forensic psychology including police/investigative psychology, family forensic psychology, psychology of crime and delinquency, victimology and victim services, legal psychology, and correctional psychology.

Current: Contemporary examples are used throughout the book to demonstrate various functions of forensic psychologists, such as providing courtroom testimony, conducting child custody evaluations, screening and selecting law enforcement candidates, and providing clinical services to offenders and staff in correctional facilities.

Accessible: Written in an engaging style, the book includes key terms, chapter summaries, and insert boxes with interesting topics like Historical Benchmarks in Forensic Psychology, Facial Composites Kits, and Public Myths About School Shooters, as well as end-of-chapter discussion questions to enhance student knowledge and spark classroom discussion.

Career-Oriented: In addition to discussing the many careers related to forensic psychology, the book provides samples of current employment opportunities that describe the educational and professional requirements of various positions in the field.

Introduction to Forensic Psychology is designed for undergraduate and graduate students studying forensic psychology in psychology, criminal justice, and criminology courses. This book will also be of interest to mental health professionals and anyone looking for a basic overview of the field.

Instructor′s Resources on CD are available to qualified adopters of Introduction to Forensic Psychology. These resources include objective test questions with answers, as well as essay exam questions for each chapter. In addition, the CD provides instructors with other helpful aids such as chapter outlines, chapter summaries, discussion questions to spark classroom debate, and relevant reading recommendations and Web sites for further research.

To read a sample chapter from Introduction to Forensic Psychology click on "Additional Materials" in the left column under "About This Book" or simply click here.