PSY 3204 Psychology Law Introduction PSY 3204 Psychology

PSY 3204 Psychology & Law Introduction PSY 3204 Psychology & Law

PSY 3204: Psychology & Law Recommended texts: • Howitt, (2002) Forensic & Criminal Psychology. Prentice-Hall: Harlow. • Memon, Vrij & Bull (2003) Psychology & Law. Wiley: Chichester. • Mc. Ewan (2003) The Verdict of the Court. Hart: Oxford. • Innes (2003) Understanding Social Control. OUP: Maidenhead PSY 3204 Psychology & Law

PSY 3204: Psychology & Law 1. Introduction 2. Rule Breaking 3. The criminal personality 4. Testimony 5. Jury decision-making 6. Visit to Exeter Crown Court 7. Policing and Psychology 8. Forensic Psychology 9. Crime and gender 10. Reform of the Legal System PSY 3204 Psychology & Law

What relevance has crime to Psychology? Sociological approach Developmental Learning approach and social learning Biological and evolutionary Trait and Type approaches PSY 3204 Psychology & Law Cognitive

PSY 3204: Psychology & Law Decision to commit a crime Decision to report crime by victim or witness Decision by police to investigate crime Decision to prosecute offender Organisation of evidence Presentation of evidence in court Judicial and jury decision-making Sentencing decisions PSY 3204 Psychology & Law

Criminal Justice System (England & Wales) • Based on unwritten constitution defined by: – Magna Carta (1215 AD) – Bill of Rights (1688 AD) – Act of Settlement (1700 AD) • Adversarial legal system • Prosecution must disclose relevant information to defence • Defence may keep certain evidence confidential until trial PSY 3204 Psychology & Law

Criminal Justice System (England & Wales) • • Common Law system Evolves according to decisions made in individual cases Originates in 5 th century Formalised after 1066 AD Norman invasion Judicial circuits “Circuit Judge” system still in place today Dissemination of decisions crucial to system First ‘Law Reports’ published and circulated in 1283 PSY 3204 Psychology & Law

Social Contract • Government agrees to establish laws and regulations that are just and fair and to ensure that population abide by these rules • Control crime using enforcement, imposition of penalties etc. • Populace agree to abide by law, not to take law into own hands etc. • If popular perception is that contract is broken, anarchy may result (e. g. Poll Tax riots, civil disobedience arising from Council Tax increases, hunting ban) • Perceptions of fairness, legitimacy depend on a range of factors PSY 3204 Psychology & Law

Recorded Crime: 1918 -2000 17% fall 5. 5% growth rate PSY 3204 Psychology & Law

Who commits crime? • Who has committed a crime? • Opportunity • 26% of active offenders (or 2% of population) commit approximately 82% of offences (BCJS, 2003) • Recidivism • ‘Real’ criminals PSY 3204 Psychology & Law

Attrition within the Criminal Justice System PSY 3204 Psychology & Law

Prevalence Rates for offending in Five Countries (%) PSY 3204 Psychology & Law