Review
"I loved the inclusion of scales that measure juror bias (students also seem to love "real world" examples of the tools of the trade - it makes understanding less abstract for them when actual items are presented)."
"This is a great introductory chapter to the field of forensic psychology. It offers undergraduate students an opportunity to see the diversity of the field, learn the history of forensic psychology and the impact that it has on society, be made aware of the continuing controversies in this field, and identify the differences between psychology and the law which leads to the uneasy alliance between the two disciplines."
"I have used (Wrightsman's) Psychology and Law book through each of the revisions...and each time the book gets better." "I think the greatest strength is that the book achieves its main goal...to provide an overview and sampling of the varied roles of forensic psychology."
"This text is, in my opinion, the only text of its like appropriate for the advanced undergraduate student. My students are eager to learn the information in the text, and they use this as the stepping stone for further inquiry. I have never had students perform better in a course than this one, and I attribute the majority of the credit to the author(s) of the text."
"It is probably the best text for introductory courses on forensic psychology. It covers extensively the issues facing psychologists who find themselves in positions that interact with the criminal justice system."
About the Author
Lawrence S. Wrightsman is professor of Psychology at the University of Kansas, Lawrence. Wrightsman is an author or editor of ten other books relevant to the legal system, including PSYCHOLOGY AND THE LEGAL SYSTEM, FIFTH EDITION, THE AMERICAN JURY ON TRIAL, and JUDICIAL DECISION MAKING: IS PSYCHOLOGY RELEVANT? He was invited to contribute the entry on the law and psychology for the ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PSYCHOLOGY, sponsored by the American Psychological Association and published by Oxford University Press. His research topics include jury selection procedures, reactions to police interrogations, and the impact of judicial instructions. He has 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.