Role of Forensic Psychology in the Development of Court and Juvenile Behavior

Abstract

This paper studies the literary analysis of role of forensic psychology in the development of court laws and juvenile behavior. The paper provides the analysis of 14 resources including 3 peer reviewed articles, three journal articles and 8 books in the relevant studies. Role of Forensic Psychology in the Development of Court laws and Juvenile Behavior

Chapter Literature Review

This chapter will highlight the previous studies and literary analysis on the role of Forensic Psychology in the Development of Court Laws and Juvenile Behavior. In this paper, 3 peer reviewed article, 3 journal articles and 8 books have been selected for the literary analysis and review for the study of role of forensic psychology in development of courts and juvenile behavior.

Forensic Psychology and Law

The field of forensic psychology is connected with the objective truths including DNA evidence obtained from toothbrush, fingerprints left on the weapon used in murder, collection of hairs and clothing fibers by crime scene investigator wearing lab coats. However, one more similarly significant factor of forensic psychology includes the interpretation of the intentions of the accused. As the police, judges and lawyers in legal system are involved in prosecution or defending the people, who are charged with crimes. People in legal system are aware of the fact that fingerprints and DNA samples are not sufficient enough to define people uniquely. Progressively more forensic psychologists' bridges the gap between law and psychology to study the behavior of humans involved in crime.

Roesch, et al., (2009), proposed that several point are there, where the field of psychology and legal systems intersect. As an individual involved in criminal activity has some mental illness. This individual will inevitably meet several psychologists and other psychological professionals during the legal processes. The widely accepted of forensic psychology although restrict the definition to the exclusive branch of psychology which has direct association with legislative decisions. At present, forensic psychology has played a vital role in the development of judicial system ranging from the beginning of apprehensions of criminals to the process of appeals that might ultimately free them. The objective of Forensic Psychology is to assist the legal system and professionals in law to remove human error while handling the trials (Ackerman, 2010). Lawyers, witnesses, judges and jurors, who inhabit, are most of the time subjected to individual biases. The risks of these biases are stemmed from the facts that they subconsciously manifest the historical experiences. The field of forensic psychology has played a vital role in gaining the insight into the mind of humans to use that insight for shaping the legal processes in an objective way (Soothill, et al., 2008).

Huss & Skovran, (2008), stated that psychologists are expert in providing psychological assessment of the criminals both adult and juveniles. They also give psychotherapy and counseling to juvenile and adults who are accused of criminal activities together with post conviction counseling for people, who are on probation. Chambliss, (2011), proposed that ...