PSYCHOLOGY AND LAW

Catalog description

The course will provide students with a view of the scientific and applied issues in the field of psychology and law. The interface between psychological principles and our legal system will be explored. Topics include lie detection, eyewitness identification and accuracy, competency to stand trial, the insanity defense, jury decision making, critical evaluation of the science, its external validity and generalizability; and ethical and moral constraints. Students will write a critical case analysis paper in APA format that involves researching and analyzing a case of an actual wrongful conviction. JS-103 Introduction to Criminal Justice is recommended as a pre-/co-requisite. Pre-requisites: PSYC-101 , and ENGL-102 or ENGL-109 , or permission of the instructor.