Psychology and the Law

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This paper answers the questions presented below:

Discuss the case of Arizona v. Clark (2006) and how it affected the insanity defense.

Describe the best interests of the child standard.

What innovations have states introduced to ease the trauma of testifying by a child who has been a victim of sexual abuse? What has been the Supreme Court’s reaction to different innovations?

Describe the role of the forensic psychologist when a trial attorney seeks a change of venue because of adverse pretrial publicity.

What is involved in a competency evaluation in a death penalty case?

1. Discuss the case of Arizona v. Clark (2006) and how it affected the insanity defense.

This case involved seventeen year old Eric Clark who shot and killed Officer Jeffrey Moritz who responded to a complaint early in the morning about a loud noise in the neighborhood, the noise was reported that it came from a certain pickup truck. When Officer Moritz ran upon the truck that was reported as making loud noise, he turn on his siren and emergency flashers for the truck to stop. When Officer Moritz walked up to the car he asked the driver which was Eric Clark to remain in the car, but as it seems Clark did not adhere to what Officer Moritz request of him, instead Clark shot Officer Moritz to death and flee the scene on foot, but backup was already requested by Officer Moritz. Although Clark fled the scene he was found and arrested later that day and his hands still had the residue of gun-powder on them. The gun that was used to kill Officer Moritz was found in a hat not too far from where they picked Clark up from (2009, pg. 113).

Clark went to court he was found guilty and was convicted of murder, he receive a sentence of life ...

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...n, the history of his parents are crucial as well and it should reflect back to the moment he/she was born. Any information that pertains to the defendant should be gathered. Along with everything else psychological tests should be ordered on the defendant. While these tests are being administered to the defendant to see if he/she is competent enough to for the death penalty there should be no rock left unturned so to speak. So when forensic psychologists performs competency evaluations they are looking for information that will either prevent the defendant from the death penalty or they will find information that will allow the defendant to be sentenced with the death penalty (2009, pgs. 364-365).

Reference:

Fulero, S., and Wrightsman, L. (2009). Forensic psychology. (3rd Ed.). Pgs. 113, 191-192,

205, 280, and 364-365. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.

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