Forensic Child Psychology

A guide to working effectively with children in the criminal justice system Uniquely designed to train psychology, criminology, and social work students to work with children in the criminal justice system—both in the courtroom and as clinical clients—Forensic Child Psychology presents current research and practice-based knowledge to improve the judicial and child welfare systems. Authors Matthew Fanetti, William T. O'Donohue, Rachel N. Happel, and Kresta N. Daly bring their combined expertise in child psychology, forensic interviewing, and criminal prosecution to bear on the process of obtaining accurate information from children involved in legal proceedings, preparing professionals to work with: Children who are victims of crime Children who are perpetrators of crime Children who are witnesses of crime The book also covers related topics, including mandated reporting, the structure of juvenile justice and advocacy systems, and contains sidebars, summaries, glossaries, and study questions to assist with material mastery. This is an excellent resource for students of child psychopathology in psychology, social work, nursing, and criminal justice at the graduate and late undergraduate stage of their educations.

Preface vii Acknowledgments ix Part I Basic Principles 1 Introduction to Forensic Psychology 3 2 Social and Behavioral Psychology 29 3 Understanding Psychopathology and Disruptive Behavior 57 4 Memory 83 Part II Applied Principles in Child Abuse 5 Child Abuse and Neglect 105 6 Internet Exploitation of Children 125 7 Process of Forensic Interviewing 145 8 Understanding Pedophilia 167 9 The Treatment of the Sexually Abused Child 189 Part III Understanding the Law 10 Understanding What It Is to Be an Expert Witness 221 11 An Overview of the U.S. Legal System 241 12 Mandated Reporters 265 13 Juveniles and the Justice System 289 Author Index 311 Subject Index 315