Psychology and Law: Overtures, Crescendos, and Reprises (From Psychology and Law: International Perspectives, P 3-21, 1992, Friedrich Losel, Doris Bender, et al., eds. -- See NCJ-148224)

• NCJ Number: 148225
• Author(s): F Losel
• Date Published: 1992
• Length: 19 pages
• Sale Source: Walter de Gruyter & Co
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: Germany (Unified)

Annotation

The field of legal psychology has expanded to encompass psychological research on law, an increased empirical- experimental orientation, behavior within the legal system, the exchange of knowledge between research and practice, and criminal law research.

Abstract

Legal psychology has become more prominent in research, journals, and colleges and universities, both in the United States and Europe. As the field of legal psychology has grown, subject areas have changed to include conditions of criminality, forensic-psychological diagnosis, behavior within the justice system, incarceration and resocialization, and special crime problems. Research on forensic psychology has primarily focused on how legal goals can be attained through psychological means. This psychology in law relates to the discrepancy between legal schemes and psychological findings and to differences between psychological principles and effects of law. In the context of an increased empirical-experimental orientation in legal psychology, the primary goal is that the experimental ideal of control be more strongly directed toward applied problems. Theoretical research on psychological dimensions of the legal system is reviewed. In addition, consideration is given to research on behavior within the legal system, particularly with regard to judicial decisionmaking, sentencing, and social control. The importance of exchanging knowledge between research and practice is emphasized, and problems associated with legal psychology and its relation to legal science and practice are noted. 109 references and 3 figures