Review of Psychology and Law: An Empirical Perspective.

Abstract

NEIL BREWER and KIPLING D. WILLIAMS (Eds.) Psychology and Law: An Empirical Perspective New York: Guilford Publications, 2005, 518 pages (ISBN 1-59385-122-7, US$60.00 Hardcover) This book deals with a wide array of topics selected from the fields of developmental, social, and cognitive psychology that were chosen because of their relevance and applicability to issues in the criminal justice system. As the tide implies, forensic practices can be understood (and ultimately enhanced) by research that addresses the scientific foundation of those practices. The editors deliver exactly what they promise, namely, empirical analyses of the various procedures and assumptions within the legal system. Edited volumes, in my experience, are often uneven with respect to the scope of coverage and the quality of writing. This one is an exception. There are several excellent chapters and no weak ones. Contributors include Vrij, Loftus, Poole, Wells, Oglov, Penrod, and Kovera, all of whom are leading experts in their respective fields. Powell, Fisher, and Wright provide a thorough, upto-date review of the best practices for the successful interviewing of child witnesses. Stimulated, in part, by numerous high-profile examples of apparently false allegations of abuse in day care centres in the late 1980s (e.g., the McMartin preschool in California, the Wee Care Day Nursery in New Jersey, the Martensville case in Saskatchewan), a substantial body of research now exists on how best to elicit reliable information from child informants. Although there is substantial international consensus regarding the most appropriate interview techniques, actual forensic interviews frequently (and regrettably) are not compliant with recommended guidelines. The authors review various training programs and make recommendations about the most effective means of translating concepts into practice. Granhag and Vrij describe research on the detection of deception. In Julius Casear (Act IV), Octavius opines that that smile have in their hearts, I fear, millions of mischiefs. 'Twas ever thus, especially in the criminal justice system. Is there any means by which truth-tellers can be distinguished from liars? If so, such procedures are hugely relevant to the courtroom. The authors provide a thorough review of the range of deception-detection methods that have been explored. These include statement validity analysis, polygraph testing, and behaviour analyses. Also described are more recent alternatives to lie detection: 1) methods that combine verbal and nonverbal cues, 2) implicit lie detection, and 3) strategic disclosure of evidence. Overall, psychometrically objective markers of deception remain elusive, although the new approaches are promising. Of note is the authors' observation dial certain misconceptions enshrined in widely used police interrogation manuals are not only devoid of scientific foundation, they have the potential to contribute to miscarriages of justice. Five chapters deal with memory and its vicissitudes. Pansky, Koriat, and Goldsmith systematically review theory and research on some aspects of memory that are especially pertinent to the eyewitness domain. They emphasize the distinction between accuracy versus quantity-based orientations to the study of recall, with the former having the most obvious relevance to legal settings. They also provide extensive commentary on how understanding metacognitive control can give us additional insight into the plight of the eyewitness. Brewer and his co-authors examine research that specifically addresses eyewitness identification in the real world, with special attention to aspects of the identification test itself (e.g., lineup composition, postidentification feedback, etc.). Misinformation effects and the creation of illusory memories are described by Gerrie, Garry, and Loftus. They provide compelling evidence that some false memories are indeed memories (albeit illusory) that are for all practical intents and purposes, indistinguishable from recollections of actually experienced events. …