9781422273456

constantly evolving field that can be uniquely rewarding for those who go into it with realistic expectations, a commitment to objectivity, and a passion for exploring the truth. The Intertwining of Law and Psychology: A History The field of forensic psychology has grown substantially over the past few decades, with the American Psychological Association officially recognizing the practice as a specialization within psychology in 2001. Part of the intrigue and fascination surrounding forensic psychology can be attributed to how its use is portrayed in the media, including popular crime shows such as CSI and The Profiler . The introduction of psychology into law can be traced back to Wilhelm Wundt, who opened the first formal laboratory for psychological research at the University of Leipzig in Germany in the year 1879. The institute’s opening is widely considered as the beginning of modern psychology. Over the next several decades, several notable psychologists—including Lewis Terman, William Marston, William Stern, Albert von Schrenck-Notzing, James McKeen Cattell, and Alfred Binet— contributed research and experimentation that probed the application of psychology to law and criminal justice. Their work also delved into specific subjects such as the suggestibility of witnesses, intelligence testing, and court reporting. In 1908, Hugo Munsterberg, a German-American psychologist, published the work On the Witness Stand, which advocated for the use of psychology in the courtroom. Forensic psychology started to gain traction after the conclusion of World War II. Psychologists began to provide expert testimony in trials, including the well-known 1954 case of Brown v. Board of Education . In 1962 another case, Jenkins v. United States , provided a definition for expert witnesses and a standard for the admissibility, or the ability of something to be allowed as evidence in a court, of neuropsychological evidence in criminal cases. As a result of that ruling, the use of psychologists as expert witnesses became more pervasive among federal, state, and local courts in the following years. The discipline is still growing. For example, there are about 3,000 members who are part of the American Psychology-Law Society. According to Dr. Patricia Zafp, a clinical and forensic psychologist in New

8

Forensic Psychology