Term
| Forensic Psychology ("Psychology and the Law") |
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Definition
| branch of Psychology in which psychologists assist the courts in order to resolve legal issues (the intersection of the law and clinical psychology) |
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| Process by which characteristics of a crime and crime scene are collected, then organized, to narrow down potential suspects (*only ~10% of Forensic Psychologists get involved in this, ~17% find it reliable!) |
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| branch of psychology that focuses on asessment and treatment of mental illness (*very narrow, forensic psych involves cognitive, physiological, social, & developmental psychology...) |
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| the branch of the law that deals with acts against SOCIETY in which the GOVERNMENT respresents society (law enforcement officers, prosecutors,)and brings charges against individuals who violate the law |
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| "GUILTY MIND": principal of criminal responsibility relates to a person's mental state: a person has committed a crime purposefully and willfully. (relevant with cases of insanity- some mental illness prohibits offender from truly "intentionally" committing a crime)) |
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| court case in which juvenile (under 18) determined not to have sufficient mental ability to form mens rea, & can't be responsible for capital crime |
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| court case in which mentally retarded offender determined not to have sufficient mental ability to form mens rea, & can't be responsible for capital crime |
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| crime punishable by death penalty |
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| branch of law dealing with wrongdoing against an individual; Private rights & remedies, not issues concerning the public |
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| (in civil law) acts that cause harm to an individual; it is up to the harmed individual to take action (not society) |
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*one person must "owe a duty" *that "duty" must be violated
*a suffered harm follows caused by violation of that "duty"(harm to someone else)
*harm must occur, and harm must involve a legally protected right |
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| (in torts) the immediate cause of harm or injury (*if a tree falls on a car seconds before I crash into the car, the tree was the proximate cause of damage to the car, not me) |
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| first level of trial courts in state court system |
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| first level of trial courts in federal court system (*think D.C.= DISTRICT of Columbia= federal gov't) |
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| reviews the decisions and actions of lower courts |
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| the power of a court to rule in a geographical region (e.g. state, country)*violation of local or state law is in the jurisdiction of state court system. Violation of federal law is in federal system |
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| law enacted through legislation by state or federal government |
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either:
*law enacted through the court's interpretation of a statutory law
*law enacted through the courts when no previous statute exists |
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| law based on court case, but also on tradition and customs (of English colonial origin, the idea that judges have the power to make laws) |
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| psychologist who use training in research methodology to assess effectiveness of government policies, regulations, & laws |
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Term
| Therapeutic Jurisprudence |
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Definition
| studying whether a law or legal practice promotes psychological and/or physical well-being of the people is affects. (looks at how the law can be helpful or hurtful in some way, also includes looking, less formally, at the actions of judges or attourneys.) |
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| "let the decision stand:" In many cases, prior legal rulings are very powerful & the law/legal system is resistant to changing them |
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| refers to general or universal "scientific laws" that apply to groups of people; (Psychology tends to be nomothetic) |
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| refers to studying specific, UNIQUE events or indiciduals (the law tends to be idiographic) |
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