In the United States there are two ways to create and/or influence laws. One is through the legislature and the other is through court rulings, often referred to as “case law.” A thorough understanding of relevant case law is part of the necessary knowledge base of the forensic psychology professional. A case’s verdict, reason for a decision, and possible precedence of a case might impact the way forensic psychology professionals approach their specific duties and further define their role(s) within the legal system. In this Discussion, you select a legal case germane to forensic psychology and delve into its influence on the current practice of forensic psychology.
To prepare for this Discussion:
- Choose a case from the list on page 501 of your course text, Introduction to Forensic Psychology.
- Then, go to the APA Online: Law and Psychology Web site located in this Week’s Learning Resources. Type the name of the case you chose into the search box. (i.e. Addington v. Texas) at the top right of the screen. This will give you some information about the case from the American Psychological Association.
- Pay close attention to aspects of the case that may relate to forensic psychology.
Note: For cases that are not on the APA Online: Law and Psychology Web site, you can search for information using a regular Internet search engine (i.e., Google, etc.), or utilize a reputable legal Web site such as http://www.law.cornell.edu/. - Consider how this case has impacted the field of forensic psychology.
With these thoughts in mind:
Post by Day 4 an explanation of how the case law you selected has influenced the field of forensic psychology. Be specific and provide a current or historical example that illustrates this “influence” in practice.
Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources