Handbook of Forensic Sociology and Psychology Morewitz and Goldstein

Chapter 1: Dr. Daniel B. Kennedy describes forensic criminology as the application of criminological knowledge to issues before the courts. Forensic criminology includes the scientific study of the making of law, the breaking of law, and societal reactions to the breaking of law.

• Chapter 2: Dr. Craig J. Forsyth describes the use of sociology as mitigation in criminal cases. He also addresses the different styles of mitigation and theories he has used. The subculture of violence as an example of theory is used as an example of his recent testimony in the sentencing of a murder case. The author has worked in over 300 violent crime cases since 1988, most of which were capital murder, but also include second-degree murder, manslaughter, armed robbery, and rape.
• Chapter 3: Dr. Valerie McClain, Dr. Elliot Atkins, and Professor Michael L. Perlman analyze the role of the forensic psychologist in the mitigation phase of a death penalty trial. The authors assess the development of Supreme Court case law in this area and analyze the structure of constitutionally acceptable statutes, focusing on the roles of aggravators and mitigators. The authors evaluate the role of the forensic expert in presenting mitigation evidence, the meaning of mitigation, how mitigation evidence may be gathered (with special attention being paid to issues of neuroscience evidence), report writing, and the preparation of mitigation testimony. They analyze some of the special issues related to mitigation, including adequacy of counsel, prohibitions against executing defendants with severe mental impairments, the dilemma of “death qualified” juries, and the use of forensic witnesses by the prosecution. Finally, the authors provide some modest suggestions for enhancing this area of forensic area.
• Chapter 4: Dr. Richard A. Leo and Dr. Deborah Davis analyze the problem of interrogation-induced false confession, focusing on the sources of failure in prevention and detection. The authors evaluate why do false confessions occur, and what can be done to prevent them? In addition, Drs. Leo and Davis analyze why these false confessions remain undetected once elicited, and what can be done to more successfully identify them when they do occur? In addressing each question, the authors focus on the role of failures of relevant knowledge and understanding among those who elicit and misjudge false confessions.
• Chapter 5: Dr. James T. Richardson evaluates the meanings attached to the concept of brainwashing, critiques those uses of the term, assesses the concept from the perspective of rules of evidence, and offers alternative explanations about how and why young people in America and other societies have chosen to participate in new religions.

Other chapters analyze additional forensic areas, including the use of sociological testimony in litigation involving human factor issues, abuse, partner violence, suicides, alcohol and other drugs, medical malpractice, product liability, and toxic tort and the role of psychological testimony in competency evaluations, child custody, parental alienation, and child abuse cases.