Includes background information on major psychological paradigms and research methods. Includes an overview of law, its functions, its methods, and judicial processes. Contains a chapter dedicated to forensic clinical assessment and an appendix with the major diagnostic criteria for mental disorders that have particular relevance to forensic psychology. Contains a chapter critiquing behavioral science, focusing on its roles in the medicalization of deviance and social control. In-depth, interdisciplinary coverage (i.e., sociology, psychology, philosophy, and law) of all of the major uses of behavioral science in both the civil and criminal justice systems, including: Competency to stand trial; The insanity defense; Diminished capacity based defenses such as the Black Rage Defense, the PMS Defense, media Intoxication defenses; the Battered Woman's Syndrome Defense, and other others; Criminal Competencies to plead guilty, waive counsel, testify, waive an insanity defense, be sentenced, and be executed; Involuntary civil commitment; and Civil competencies regarding contracts, wills, parental fitness, and guardianship/conservatorship. Interdisciplinary coverage of police psychology, the psychology of juries, and the psychology of sentencing, punishment, and corrections. Citations to and discussions of leading cases relevant to each topic.