The Psychology

                                     
Welcome to the forensic psychology book of the month page. I decided to launch this page on the website in response to a number of e-mails I received, so many thanks to all of you who got in touch.
Whether you are new to forensic psychology, currently studying the topic, or consider yourself an expert in the field, each of the books featured as a forensic psychology book of the month will have something to offer you. They will also help further your understanding of the application of psychology within the criminal justice system and/or specific areas of forensic psychology theory and practice.
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The following slideshow showcases all the forensic Psychology book of the month titles to date. A detailed review of each book can be found below.
Dangerous People: Policy, Prediction, and Practice, Edited By Bernadette McSherry & Patrick Keyzer

Book Description
Experienced legal academics and mental health professionals explore the current approaches to ?dangerousness? and preventive detention. The defining characteristics of those deemed dangerous by society vary according to culture, place, and time, and the contributors to this text have gathered to analyze the policies and practices related to current out-groups such as sex offenders, suspected terrorists, and young offenders in the United States, Scotland, England, and Australia.
Dangerous People is the result of their research, workshopping, and writing. The text is organized logically and begins with a section on Parameters that explores the international human rights and legal limitations related to preventive detention schemes. It moves on to Policy, where contributors examine legislative policy, and Prediction, or risk assessment, especially in terms of violent crimes in youth. The section on Practice focuses on recent schemes to prevent re-offending.
This text is indispensible as a resource that deals with the practical issues surrounding preventive detention and supervision schemes, the assessment of the risk of future harm in offenders, and different programs and sentencing options for high-risk offenders with mental illnesses. It contains case examples that bring real-life issues to light and sets forth an agenda to provide effective ways to protect communities from harm.
See following link for more details:
Dangerous People: Policy, Prediction, and Practice (International Perspectives on Forensic Mental Health)
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Forensic Psychology in Context: Nordic and International Approaches by Par Anders Granhag

Book Description
Academics and researchers from the Nordic countries (Sweden, Iceland, Norway, Finland) have made a particularly strong contribution internationally to the rapidly developing disciplines of forensic and legal psychology. This book brings together the leading authorities in the field to look systematically at the central issues and concerns of their subject, looking at both investigative psychology and psychology in court.
Forensic Psychology in Context reflects the results of research in the Nordic countries themselves, but each chapter situates this work within a broader comparative and international context. The book is a major contribution to the subject, and will be essential reading for anybody with interests in this field.
See following link for more details:
Forensic Psychology in Context: Nordic and International Approaches
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Professionalizing Offender Profiling: Forensic and Investigative Psychology in Practice by Laurence Alison & Lee Rainbow

Book Description
Offender profiling is now viewed as an integral part of serious crime investigations by many law enforcement agencies across the world and continues to attract a high public and media profile. Despite almost three decades of research and developments in the field, the public impression of offender profiling is still influenced by misleading media portrayals, which fail to acknowledge the significant developments in theory, research and practice.
This book is the only book on the market to illustrate in detail the actual practice of Behavioural Investigative Advice, its diversity in application, the underpinning academic literature and the remaining research questions and recommendations. Focussing on the professionalization of this developing discipline, it provides a fascinating insight into the modern role of a Behavioural Investigative Adviser, dispelling many of the myths still associated with offender profiling, and illustrating the continued aspiration of contemporary practitioners to adhere to the highest scientific standards. It provides a journey through the significant efforts to professionalise both the process and product of Behavioural Investigative Advice, supported by relevant theoretical, methodological and operational considerations.
Edited by and containing contributions from some of the most respected and experienced researchers and practitioners working today, this book will be essential reading for Police Officers, researchers, students and anyone with an interest in the professionalization and contemporary contribution of forensic psychology to 21st century criminal investigation.
See following link for more details:
Professionalizing Offender Profiling: Forensic and Investigative Psychology in Practice
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Specialty Competencies in Forensic Psychology by Ira K. Packer & Thomas Grisso

Book Description
Although Forensic Psychology was formally recognized as a specialty by the American Board of Professional Psychology in 1985 and by the American Psychological Association's Commission for the Recognition of Specialties and Proficiencies in Professional Psychology in 2001, its origins can be traced back to early applications of psychology to law during the time psychology was being differentiated from the more general field of philosophy.
As it is currently applied, the specialty took organizational shape from the 1960's to the 1990's, and today forensic psychology is one of the most popular areas of specialization among emerging psychologists. The demand for forensic training, continuing education, and research is growing in many graduate level professional programs and at events sponsored by the American Psychology-Law Division (41) of APA or the American Academy of Forensic Psychology. Therefore, the need for a comprehensive text focused on the competencies required in the specialty has never been greater.
With Specialty Competencies in Forensic Psychology, Drs. Packer and Grisso provide a guide to understanding legal systems, evaluations, and consultations encountered in day-to-day forensic practice that is simultaneously sophisticated, scholarly, and user-friendly. This is a must-read for all those interested in pursuing the forensic specialty practice.
See following link for more details:
Specialty Competencies in Forensic Psychology
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Research Methods in Forensic Psychology by Barry Rosenfeld & Steven Penrod

Book Description
The only professional resource to focus exclusively on research methods in forensic psychology. With specific advice on topics of particular importance to forensic specialists, Research Methods in Forensic Psychology presents state-of-the-discipline summaries of the issues that relate to psychology and law research.
Edited by renowned experts in the field, this resource features contributions by leading scholars in forensic psychology and law, with discussion of relevant topics such as:
Meta-analysisJury decision makingInternet-based data collectionLegal research techniques for the social scientistOffender treatmentCompetence to stand trialCriminal profilingFalse confessions and interrogationsTrial-related psycho-legal issuesAccuracy of eyewitnesses and childrenViolence risk assessment
This comprehensive guide is designed for a wide range of scholars and legal professionals, presenting a succinct overview of the field of psychology and law as viewed by some of the world's foremost experts.
See following link for more details:
Research Methods in Forensic Psychology
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Current Perspectives in Forensic Psychology and Criminal Behavior by Curt Bartol & Anne Bartol

Book Description
This text is a dynamic forensic psychology reader that provides cutting-edge research in police and correctional psychology, the psychology of crime and victimization, and psychology as applied to criminal and civil courts. Addressing key topics in each of three major course areas - criminal behavior, forensic psychology, and psychology and law - the book highlights how forensic psychology has contributed to the understanding of criminal behavior and crime prevention.
Editors Curt R. Bartol and Anne M. Bartol have assembled published journal articles and written introductory commentaries to provide an overview of the wide array of prevalent practices and theories in this field.
See following link for more details:
Current Perspectives in Forensic Psychology and Criminal Behavior
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Introduction to Forensic Psychology: Clinical and Social Psychological Perspectives by Lenore Walker & David Shapiro

Book Description
This text provides a complete overview of the applications of psychology to the law. Incorporating the contributions of social and clinical psychology, this new text presents the material with an objective view towards the complete scope of the subject matter. In its clear coverage of the fundamentals of this field, it is an invaluable introduction for students, as well as a reference for practitioners.
See following link for more details:
Introduction to Forensic Psychology: Clinical and Social Psychological Perspectives
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