This course explores the interface of psychology and criminal law. Legal psychology as a sub-discipline of psychology and an example of interdisciplinary study in law is described, and its historical and future development is discussed. Topics usually covered include mental illness and the law, risk assessment, witness memory, investigative interview techniques, detecting deception, profiling, children in court, jury research, correctional psychology, sentencing, therapeutic jurisprudence, and neuroscientific or biological evidence of criminal blameworthiness. Material discussed is primarily of relevance to the Australian legal system. The course offers a critical perspective on legal psychology as well as invites students to be critical about the legal treatment of psychological concepts in statute and case law. Students are also shown how to research the interdisciplinary literature via relevant databases, and are given confidence to research and work with empirical psychological reports.

• Obtain an introduction to the field of legal psychology
• Building confidence in researching, reading and critically analysing legal psychological literature including an empirical legal psychological report
• Develop students' ability to read cases, legislation, and legal commentary in order to identify the psychological assumptions underlying and the psychological impact of legal reasoning, legal procedures, and the legal regulation of human behaviour including mental illness.

A mid-semester research casenote or empirical report comment, a short answer test, and a research essay.

There will be 3 hours of class time per week.  A further 7 or so hours of private study is expected per week in order to review required reading and research assessment tasks.

The course is aimed at students who have never studied psychology before, though it will also extend those students who are or have studied psychology at university level.

Completed or completing five LAWS courses at 1000 level.

The course focuses mainly on the psychology of criminal justice.  Those who have studied and enjoyed Criminal Law and Procedure, Criminal Justice, and/or Selected Topics in Criminal Law (now named Federal Criminal Law) should enjoy this course.

A Kapardis, Psychology and the Law: A Critical Introduction (3rd Edition), Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010 (unless other text mentioned in the course outline).

Consult course outline for week 1 reading

Please consult the course outline.

Students need access to Wattle to complete this course.