Psychology 277: Psychology and the Law
Fall 2012
MW: 8:30-9:50
Room: Judd 116
Instructor: Sarah Carney
Office: Judd 201
Office Hours: Wednesdays 10-11 (or by appointment)
Phone: 685-4976
Email: scarney@wesleyan.edu
Course Description:
This course will offer an introduction to the range of topics that are of concern both to
psychologists and to members of the legal profession. We will investigate how
psychologists may enter the legal arena as social scientists, consultants, and expert
witnesses, as well as how the theory, data, and methods of the social sciences can
enhance and contribute to our understanding of the judicial system. We will focus on
what social psychology can offer the legal system in terms of its research and expertise
with an examination of the state of the social science research on topics such as juries and
decision making, eyewitness testimony, mental illness, the nature of voluntary
confession, competency/insanity, child testimony, repressed memory, and sentencing
guidelines. In addition, this course will look at the new and exciting ways legal scholars
and psychologists/social scientists are now collaborating on research that looks at issues
such as the role of education in prison, cultural definitions of responsibility, media
accounts and social representations of crime and criminals, death penalty mitigation, and
gender/race discrimination within the criminal justice system. This course will introduce
students to this field, especially to the growing body of applied and theoretical work and
resources available for study and review. Students will be encouraged to explore the
connections between issues of social science and the law, translating legal issues into
social scientific research questions which can then be examined more closely in the
literature.
Required Text:
Wrightsman, Greene, Nietzel & Fortune (2011). Psychology and the Legal System. 7th
Edition. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing.
Class Handouts: As needed.
Reserve Reading: Noted in syllabus
Course Requirements:
1. This course is a combined lecture/discussion format. Participation in the
discussion of class readings is a critical part of this class. To demonstrate that you
have critically read the assigned material and thought about its implications, you
should come to class prepared to respond with a thought out view point, to ask
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questions about material that is unclear, and to make connections between what
you have read for class and current events. Although there will be times when I
will want to underscore some of what you have read—and to make sure that key
terms/ideas were understood—class discussions will not duplicate the assigned
reading. Instead, the readings will serve as a jumping off point for our class
conversations.
2. Class participation is essential in the success of this course. In terms of
participation I am more interested in quality rather than quantity. Useful
comments move the discussion forward and build on the comments already
offered. Useful comments/thoughtful participation move beyond opinion and “I
feel” type statements and include some evidence for why you are making this
statement, some acknowledgment of complexity and some recognition of the
ways in which diverse perspectives can see issues in dramatically different ways.
Controversy is built into the nature of this course; there will be few weeks where
our conversations will not be fraught with some form of tension stemming from
the multiplicity of perspectives in the room. It is important therefore, that the
discussion be respectful of a variety of viewpoints. Many of the issues we will
cover will have no “right” or “wrong” answers. One of the goals of this course is
to get you to understand that this diversity of viewpoint is a strength and not a
weakness of the work we are studying. Listen to what others have to say.
3. Productive conversation requires regular attendance. If you are a person who
cannot attend regularly, this is not the course for you. Absences will affect
your grade.
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Repeated Absences (3 classes) will lower your final grade.
4. There will be two in class exams during the semester. Dates are noted on the
syllabus. The exams are worth 25 and 30% of your course grade. Exams will
consist of both multiple choice and essay type/short answer questions. Exams
will cover the material of roughly half the semester; all course material will be
considered “fair game” (readings, class discussions, films, lectures). Please Note:
Without a signed medical excuse from the health service or a note from your
Dean about a family emergency, there are NO make-up exams. You cannot
miss a scheduled exam. There is NO final exam.
5. You will write a total of three papers in this course. Due dates are noted in the
syllabus. The papers will be reaction or reflection-type papers (specific
instructions/sample papers will be made available early in the semester). I will
provide you with more detailed assignment sheets and you can (and should) plan
to meet either with me individually to make sure you understand the expectations
of these assignments. I am always available during office hours, by appointment,
and by email to discuss your progress with you.
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Grading
Students will be graded using the system described in the Wesleyan University catalog,
modified by pluses and minuses:
A=Excellent
B=Good
C=Fair
D=Marginal But Passing
U/F=Unsatisfactory
If you have questions or concerns about your grades, please see me.
In summary:
Exam 1=25%
Exam 2=30%
Paper #1: 15%
Paper #2: 15%
Paper #3: 15%
Students with Disabilities:
It is the policy of Wesleyan University to provide reasonable accommodations to
students with documented disabilities. Students, however, are responsible for
registering with Disabilities Services, in addition to making requests known to me in
a timely manner. If you require accommodations in this class, please make an
appointment with me as soon as possible [during the nth week of the semester], so
that appropriate arrangements can be made. The procedures for registering with
Disabilities Services can be found at http://www.wesleyan.edu/deans/disabilitystudents.html.
Course Readings/Schedule of Topics
9-3-12
Course Introduction—No required reading.
9-5-12
What is Psychology and the Law?
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9-10-12
Wrightsman 7th edition: Chapter 1, pp. 1-25; Chapter 2, pp. 2633.
Brigham, J. C. (1999). What is forensic psychology anyway?
Law and Human Behavior, 23 (3), 273-298.
Film: “The Farm”
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Rideau, W. (2010). Ruination. In the Place of Justice: A Story
3
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9-12-12
The Doctrine of Individualism and Conceptions of Social
Responsibility
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9-17-12
Fine, M. & Carney, S. (2001). Women, gender, and the law:
toward a feminist rethinking of responsibility. In R. Unger
(ed.) Handbook of the Psychology of Women and Gender.
New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons.
Rideau, W. (2010). Solitary. In the Place of Justice: A Story
of Punishment and Deliverance. Pp. 63-75. New York, NY:
Alfred A. Knopf
Rideau, W. (2010). The Jungle. In the Place of Justice: A
Story of Punishment and Deliverance. Pp. 76-107. New York,
NY: Alfred A. Knopf
Eyewitness Testimony: Elizabeth Loftus, Perception and Memory
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9-19-12
Of Punishment and Deliverance. Pp. 3-32. New York, NY:
Alfred A. Knopf
Rideau, W. (2010). Tribulation. In the Place of Justice: A
Story of Punishment and Deliverance. Pp. 33-62. New York,
NY: Alfred A. Knopf
Wrightsman 7th edition: Chapter 5, pp. 112-138.
Wells, G., Small, M., Penrod, S., Malpass, R., Fulero, S., &
Brimacombe, C. (1998). Eyewitness identification procedures:
recommendations for line-ups and photospreads. Law and
Human Behavior, 22 (6), 603-647.
Loftus, E., & Wagenaar, W. (1990). Ten cases of eyewitness
identification: logical and procedural problems. Journal of
Criminal Justice, 18 (4), 291-319.
Rideau, W. (2010). Mentor. In the Place of Justice: A Story
of Punishment and Deliverance. Pp. 108-128. New York, NY:
Alfred A. Knopf
Children as Eyewitnesses
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Rosenthal, R. (1995). State of New Jersey v. Margaret Kelly
Michaels: An overview. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law,
1 (2), 246-271.
Bruck, M. & Ceci, S. (1995). Amicus brief for the case of state
of New Jersey v. Margaret Kelly Michaels presented by a
committee of concerned social scientists. Psychology, Public
Policy, and Law, 1 (2), 272-322.
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9-24-12
Film: Hungry for Monsters
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9-26-12
Rideau, W. (2010). Crackdown. In the Place of Justice: A
Story of Punishment and Deliverance. Pp. 129-148. New
York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf
Rideau, W. (2010). Truth Behind Bars. In the Place of Justice:
A Story of Punishment and Deliverance. Pp. 149-163. New
York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf
Rideau, W. (2010). Disillusion. In the Place of Justice: A
Story of Punishment and Deliverance. Pp. 164-183. New
York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf
Rideau, W. (2010). Soldiering On. In the Place of Justice: A
Story of Punishment and Deliverance. Pp. 184-211. New
York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf
Identification and Evaluation of Criminal Suspects: Profiling, and
Confession
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
Wrightsman 7th edition: Chapter 6, pp. 140-169.
Inbau, F., & Reid, J. (1967). Criminal Interrogation and
Confessions (pp. 25-119). Baltimore, MD: The Williams and
Wilkins Company.
First Reaction Paper Due (5:00)
10-1-12
Identification and Evaluation continued…
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Muller, D. (2000). Criminal profiling: real science or just
wishful thinking? Homicide Studies, 4 (3), 234-264.
Kassin, S. & Kiechel, K. (1996). The social psychology of
false confessions: compliance, internalization, and
confabulation. Psychological Science, 7, 125-128
Homant, R. & Kennedy, D. (2006). Psychological aspects of
crime scene profiling. In C. Bartol & A. Bartol (eds.) Current
Perspectives in Forensic Psychology and Criminal Justice (pp.
45-53) Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
10-3-12
Finish Profiling
10-8-12
Competence, Insanity, and Forensic Assessment

Wrightsman 7th edition: Chapter 8, pp. 193-226.
5
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Arrigo, B. & Tosca, J. (1999). Right to refuse treatment,
competency to be executed, and therapeutic jurisprudence:
toward a systemic analysis. Law and Psychology Review, 23,
1-47.
Spinelli, M. (2004). Maternal infanticide associated with
mental illness: prevention and the promise of saved lives.
American Journal of Psychiatry, 161(9), 1548-1557.
10-15-12
No Class-Fall Break
10-17-12
Finish competence/insanity
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Rideau, W. (2010). Hope. In the Place of Justice: A Story of
Punishment and Deliverance. Pp. 212-237. New York, NY:
Alfred A. Knopf
Rideau, W. (2010). Censorship. In the Place of Justice: A
Story of Punishment and Deliverance. Pp. 238-261. New
York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf
10-22-12
Exam 1
10-24-12
Psychology of Victims
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10-29-12
The Trial Process—Juries
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10-31-12
Wrightsman 7th edition: Chapter 13, pp. 322-352.
Fine, M. (1992). Coping with rape: critical perspectives on
consciousness. Disruptive Voices: The Possibilities of
Feminist Research. Ann Arbor, MI: The University of
Michigan Press.
Browne, A. (1987). Fear and the perception of alternatives:
Asking “why battered women don’t leave” is the wrong
question. When Battered Women Kill. New York, NY: Free
Press.
Wrightsman 7th edition: Chapter 11, pp. 272-293.
Toobin, J. (1996b, September 9). The Marcia Clark Verdict.
The New Yorker, pp. 58-71.
The Trial Process—Expert Witnesses and Trial Consulting

Stahly, G. & Walker, L. (1997). What are nice feminists like
you doing on the O.J. defense team? Personal ruminations on
the “trial of the century.” Journal of Social Issues, 53 (3), 425439.
6
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Strier, F. (1999). Whither trial consulting? Issues and
projections. Law and Human Behavior, 23 (1), 93-115.
Krauss, D. & Sales, B. (2001). The effects of clinical and
scientific testimony in capital sentencing. Psychology, Public
Policy, and Law, 7 (2), 267-310.
Second Reaction Paper Due (5:00)
11-5-12
Finish Trial Process
11-7-12
Children as Defendants
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11-12-12
Cultural Representations of Crime—Crime in Children’s
Television
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11-14-12
Hancock, L. (2000). Framing children in the news: the face and
color of youth crime in America. In V. Polakow (ed.) The
Public Assault on America’s Children: Poverty, Violence and
Juvenile Justice. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
Rutherford, J. (2002). The end of adolescence: juvenile justice
caught between the exorcist and a clockwork orange. DePaul
Law Review, 51 DePaul L. Rev. 715.
Chamberlin, C. (2001). Not kids anymore: a need for
punishment and deterrence in the juvenile justice system.
Boston College Law Review, 42 B.C. L. Rev. 391.
Stark, S. (1987). Perry Mason meets sonny crockett: the
history of lawyers and the police as television heroes. The
University of Miami Law Review, 42 U. Miami L. Rev. 229.
Rideau, W. (2010). Behind Enemy Lines. In the Place of
Justice: A Story of Punishment and Deliverance. Pp. 262-300.
New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf
Punishment and Sentencing
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Wrightsman 7th edition: Chapter 14, pp. 353-381.
Austin, J. & Irwin, J. (2001). Supermax. It’s About Time:
America’s Imprisonment Binge. Canada: Wadsworth
Thompson Learning.
Haney, C. (2003). Mental health issues in long term solitary
and “supermax” confinement. Crime and Delinquency, 49
7
11-19-12
The Death Penalty in America
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Bedau, H. (1997). Furman v. Georgia, 1972: The Death
Penalty as Administered is Unconstitutional. In H. Bedau (ed.)
The Death Penalty in America: Current Controversies. New
York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Bedau, H. (1997). Gregg v. Georgia, 1976: The Death Penalty
is not per se unconstitutional. In H. Bedau (ed.) The Death
Penalty in America: Current Controversies. New York, NY:
Oxford University Press.
11-21-12
No Class-Thanksgiving Break
11-26-12
The Death Penalty in America Continued…
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11-28-12
Haney, C. (1994). Psychological secrecy and the death
penalty: observations on the “mere extinguishment of life.”
Studies in Law, Politics and Society, 16, 3-69.
“The Exonerated”
College in Prison
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Fine, M., Torre, M., Boudin, K., Bowen, I., Clark, J., Hylton,
D., Martinez, M., “Missy”, Roberts, R., Smart, P., & Upegui,
D. (2001). Changing Minds: The Impact of College in a
Maximum Security Prison.
Rideau, W. (2010). Deliverance. In the Place of Justice: A
Story of Punishment and Deliverance. Pp. 301-329. New
York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf
Rideau, W. (2010). Heaven. In the Place of Justice: A Story
of Punishment and Deliverance. Pp. 330-350. New York, NY:
Alfred A. Knopf
Third Reaction Paper Due (5:00)
12-3-12
Film: Shakespeare Behind Bars
12-5-12
Exam 2
8
(Class begins at 8:00)