What is forensic psychology?

“Any application of psychological research, methods, theory and practice to a task faced by the legal system”

What does a forensic psychologist do?

Many hold full-time jobs as professors or clinicians in non-legal settingsOn the side, they work as expert witnesses, and

offer training to lawyers and judges

Some work as mediatorsSome are employed as trial consultantsSome do behavioral research for the Secret

Service, FBI, etc.

History of “Psychology and Law”

Cesare Lombroso (1836-1909)“Father of modern criminology”

Healy: founder of Juvenile Psychopathic Institute, 1909

Sigmund Freud, 1906, proposed that psychology could be of practical use to judges

History of “Psychology and Law”

Hugo MunsterbergOn the Witness Stand, 1908Can be called the founder of forensic psychologyStudied eyewitness accuracy, confessions, hypnosis,

crime detection, crime preventionOffered testimony as an expert witness regarding

confession truthfulness

History of “Psychology and Law”

Legal realist movement (early 20th century)1930s and 1940sLaw and society movement (1950s and 1960s)

Law viewed as a social system

Brown v. Board of EducationRenewed interest, late 1970s: social psychology1980s: psychology gains a foothold