PSYCHOLOGY, LAW, AND THE BLACK COMMUNITY

• NCJ Number: 57803
• Journal: Law and Human Behavior Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Dated: (1978) Pages: 107-131
• Author(s): T O HILLIARD
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 25 pages
• Corporate Author: Plenum Publishing Corp
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

AN OVERVIEW IS PROVIDED OF THE APPLICATIONS OF PSYCHOLOGY AND LAW TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

Abstract

THE FOLLOWING AREAS ARE CONSIDERED: (1) INNOVATIVE AND SUBSTANTIVE APPLICATION OF PSYCHOLOGY AND THE LAW TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY, (2) EXISTING PROBLEMS IN THE USE OF WHITE PRACTITIONERS AND METHODOLOGIES, AND (3) HIGH PRIORITY AREAS FOR THE INVOLVEMENT OF BLACK PSYCHOLOGISTS. THE APPLICATIONS OF PSYCHOLOGY TO THE CRIMINAL LAW HAVE THE LONGEST HISTORY AND MOST EXTENSIVE USE IN RELATION TO THE ISSUE OF CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY. THE FOLLOWING GENERAL PROBLEMS RELATING TO THE APPLICATION OF THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES TO CRIMINAL LAW AND THE BLACK COMMUNITY ARE DISCUSSED: (1) BLACKS ARE CONSISTENTLY TRIED BEFORE JURIES IN WHICH BLACKS ARE SERIOUSLY UNDERREPRESENTED; (2) FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY SERVICES ARE RARELY AVAILABLE TO LOW-INCOME, BLACK DEFENDANTS; (3) THE PROFESSIONAL INCOMPETENCE OF WHITE PROFESSIONALS WITH BLACK POPULATIONS CAUSES INAPPROPRIATE ASSESSMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS; (4) IDENTIFICATION OF PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMINERS WITH BLACK DEFENDANTS IS LACKING; (5) BIASES ARE INHERENT IN THE SELECTION OF COURT-APPOINTED EXPERTS; AND (6) PRISON REFORM REQUIRES A SPECIFIC PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF PRISON CONDITIONS AS THEY INFLUENCE BLACKS, SINCE BLACKS COMPOSE SUCH A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF THE INMATE POPULATION. THE CURRENT MISUSE OF CULTURALLY BIASED INSTRUMENTS IN EDUCATIONAL AND EMPLOYMENT SETTINGS ARE ALSO DAMAGING TO BLACKS BECAUSE THEY FUNCTION TO DENY ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES TO MEMBERS OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY. ALSO, INVOLVEMENT OF BLACK PSYCHOLOGISTS IN THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS IS NEEDED, SINCE MUCH OF THE LEGISLATION PROPOSED AT THE NATIONAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LEVELS HAS A MAJOR INFLUENCE ON BLACKS. THE AREAS OF CHILD ABUSE, HUMAN EXPERIMENTATION AND THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING ARE SOME OF THE AREAS OF LEGISLATION REQUIRING A BLACK PERSPECTIVE ON THE ISSUES. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)