PSYCHOLOGY AND THE LAW CAPSTONE; PSY 4530- 01 – Integrated Writing/COURSE SYLLABUS: FALL 2014.

Course Overview:
The primary goal of this course is to broaden and deepen your understanding of the interaction
between psychology and the law. In addition, this course is designed to help develop your oral
and written communication skills. Classes will consist of lectures, videos, debates, and
discussions designed to expand upon the material covered in the readings.
Since this is an integrated writing course, students must be able to produce writing that:
1. Demonstrates their understanding of course content;
2. Is appropriate for the audience and purpose of a particular writing task;
3. Demonstrates the degree of mastery of disciplinary writing conventions appropriate to the
course (including documentation conventions); and
4. Shows competency in standard edited American English.
Required Reading:
Each week, readings will be assigned that the entire class is responsible for reading. Readings
will be available online via Pilot. The readings are chosen to give you an overview of the
theories supporting and research conducted in the field of psychology and law. Students are
expected to complete the assigned reading prior to the beginning of class.
** Class announcements, handouts, additional reading assignments, and other materials will be
posted on Pilot. You are responsible for checking Pilot for updates.
Grading:
1. Term Paper – 35%
2. Presentation on Term Paper – 10%
3. Eyewitness Assignment – 5%
4. Insanity Assignment – 10%
5. Relaxed Debates & Debate Paper – 30%
6. Participation – 10%
100%
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Course Requirements:
1. Term Paper – 35%
Students are required to complete a research paper on a specific topic in one of the many
areas of law and psychology. In your paper, you should not just summarize what other
people have said about your topic. You will be evaluated on your ability to think
critically and evaluate the topic in an objective manner. What is the current status of the
topic/issue? What are the results of the research being done on this topic? What is the
future direction that this area of psychology and law might take?
The paper should include a cover page, and references. The paper ld be between 8-13
pages in length, not including the cover page or the reference page. You must have a
minimum of 5 references from scholarly journals and books with at least 3 of the
sources being a psychological study and/or meta-analysis. Wikipedia is not an
acceptable source. Grade is based on thoroughness, organization, analysis of issue with
support from psychological studies, and using APA publication style. The paper will be
due no later than at the beginning of class on April 29, 2015, but can be turned in earlier.
Choice of Topic of Term Paper
You must receive approval for your topic prior to writing your term paper. By January
28, 2015 you must either email or turn in a typewritten note outlining the topic that you
wish to write your term paper about, your reasons for selecting it, and what you hope to
learn by researching it.
Draft of Term Paper
A draft of your term paper is due at the beginning of class on March 11, 2015. It must be
at least 4 pages, typed and double spaced, and include your reference list up to that date.
In addition to this draft, you may submit other drafts of your paper anytime prior to the
final due date to receive additional feedback and recommendations.
2. Oral Presentation of Term Paper – 10%
During the last two classes, students will make a presentation about the topic of their term
paper. Each presentation should last approximately 10 minutes. In your presentation you
should introduce your topic, provide some background on the topic, explain the issues
being examined with the topic, and describe the research being done on the topic. Also,
be prepared to answer questions from the class and/or instructor.
3. Eyewitness Assignment – 5%
Each student will be assigned to a topic relating to eyewitnesses. Each student must find
1 psychological study or meta-analysis from a scholarly journal and prepare a 2-3
page summary, typed and double spaced in APA format. A reference page with the
citation for the study must be included. The summary should include the hypothesis of
the study, how the study was conducted (the design of the experiment), the independent
and dependent variable(s), the results of the study, and the strengths and weaknesses of
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the study. Indicate what if anything you believe should have been included or excluded
from the study and why. The summaries are due at the beginning of class on January 28,
2015 either in person or via email. Students will then present the findings of their study
to the class.
4. Insanity Assignment – 10%
Students will randomly be assigned to a notorious case where the defense of Not Guilty
by Reason of Insanity (NGRI) was used and/or regarding a case where a conviction of
Guilty but Mentally Ill (GBMI) was a possibility.
Each student must research their assigned case and prepare a 1-2 page summary, typed
and double spaced, and in APA format regarding that case, however no abstract section is
required and references must be included.
The summary should include the state where the case occurred, the background
information of the case, and whether or not the state where the person was tried permitted
a defense of NGRI, a conviction of GBMI, or both. Was there any psychological data
(testing, interviewing, etc.) or mental health testimony to support or refute NGRI or
GBMI? What was the final result of the case (NGRI, GBMI, not guilty, guilty, etc.)? If
the defense of NGRI was used in your case, you must indicate the test for insanity in that
state (M’Naghten, ALI, Model Penal Code, Irresistible Impulse…).
The summaries are due at the beginning of class on March 11, 2015 either in person or
via email. Students will also present the findings from their assigned case on that date.
5. “Relaxed” Debates & Debate Papers – Total of 30% (15% per debate question)
A. Debates /Debate Papers
In order to facilitate discussion, students will participate in relaxed style debates on
controversial issues. Each student will participate in two debates and will be assigned to
either a pro or a con side of the debate questions. In order to prepare for the debate,
students must research their topic beyond the required reading and find at least 3 outside
sources. At least 2 of these outside sources must be psychological studies or metaanalyses.
Sources should come from reliable sources such as: scholarly journal articles,
books, and credible online sources (i.e. online journals).
One of the debates will be done in class and one will be done online in the discussion
section of the class on Pilot.
The in class debate will be done on April 1, 2015 and will focus on Discussion Question
#5, “Should juveniles be tried and convicted in adult court?”
Students whose last names begin with A-L will argue “con” that Juveniles should
not be tried in adult court.

* The course schedule and assignments outlined above are tentative and can be changed at
any time.
List of Possible Paper Topics:
• Competency:
o To execute a will
o To make medical decisions
• Effectiveness of:
o Diversion programs
o Parenting classes
? Parents in abuse/neglect
dependency proceedings
10 3/25/15 Antisocial Personality Disorder
Psychopathy
DISCUSSION QUESTION # 4 –
Should the State or the defense be
permitted to introduce a
defendant’s PCL-R score in court
proceedings (adult and/or
juvenile)?
Hare, R., & Neumann, C. (2009).
Psychopathy: Assessment and Forensic
Implications. Canadian Journal of
Psychiatry, 54(12), 791-802.
Lee, C. (2007). The Judicial Response to
Psychopathic Criminals: Utilitarianism Over
Retribution. Law & Psychology Review, 31,
125-136.
11 4/1/15 Juvenile Delinquency
DISCUSSION QUESTION # 5 –
Should juveniles be tried and
convicted in adult court?
Reading Assignment – TBA
LAST DAY TO TURN IN EXTRA
CREDIT
12 4/8/15 Sexual Offenders
DISCUSSION QUESTION # 6 –
Should polygraph testing be used
to supervise convicted sex
offenders?
Reading Assignment – TBA
13 4/15/15 TBA Reading Assignment- TBA
14 4/22/15 Student Presentations
15 4/29/15 Student Presentations TERM PAPER DUE
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? Parents of teenagers with
behavior issues
o Specialty Courts
? Drug courts
? Mental health courts
? Veteran Courts
• Effectiveness of treatments for:
o Domestic violence perpetrators
o Sexual Offenders
? Elderly
? Female
? Juvenile
o Defendants with mental
retardation, Asperger’s, or FAS
o Violent offenders
? Male
? Female
? Juvenile
• Assessment of Jury decision making
o Reaction to emotional evidence at
trial (such as photographs or
victim impact statements)
o Sex bias (gender of the attorney
or defendant)
o Lack of emotional display by the
suspect/defendant /witness
• Psychology of
o Workplace violence
o Harassment/discrimination claims
o Civil Commitment proceedings
• Psychological effects of:
o Children’s being present/
participating in abuse/neglect/
proceedings
o Out of home placement on
children (i.e. foster care or
kinship).
o Parental criminal activity or
parental incarceration on children
o Parental substance abuse on
children
o Parental mental retardation
o Children who have been exposed
to intimate partner violence
• Psychopathy
o Females
o Corporate (i.e. noncriminal)
• Outcome of hospitalization for
defendants found incompetent
• Validity of Investigative hypnosis
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