August 2011 Archives

Crime isn't just something to read about in the papers, internet, or in a textbook. Crimes are real infractions against real laws. It's hard to find someone who has not broken some sort of law.

Go to Iowa Court Records OnLine http://www.iowacourts.state.ia.us/ESAWebApp/DefaultFrame

click on 'start a case search here'

click on 'case search' under the trial court heading

in the first two boxes type in your last name and your first name. Search yourself. click on the blue case number link to see the file. At the top of the screen it takes you to, you can click on other options. If it is a criminal offense, you can click on criminal charges and disposition. If it is a civil matter you can click on filings. Some fields are not available to you for free (terms not in brackets). Feel free to browse around. Were you surprised by anything you found about yourself?

Feel free to search others you know :)

You can also check out the Iowa Sex Offender Registry http://www.iowasexoffender.com/

click on search, and then map search. type in your address, and click on getting mapped results.

Keep in mind that though this information is a matter of public record, you should still search (and use the information you find) responsibly.

Provide a summary of your reactions to this activity. What does what you found tell you about laws and law breakers?

Autopsies can be an important part of crime investigation.

Here is some information about autopsies:

Univ of Iowa autopsy service info: http://www.medicine.uiowa.edu/Path_Handbook/Appendix/AnatomicPath/AUTOPSY.HTML

interactive (click on parts of body on the left side to see autopsy photos): http://www.le.ac.uk/pa/teach/va/case_6/frmst.html

text; how to: http://www.pathguy.com/autopsy.htm

Text: http://www.deathreference.com/A-Bi/Autopsy.html
Here is a link to a real autopsy (you don't have to watch this if you don't want to): http://www.hostedfile.com/videos/5150/real-autopsy.html

If you find other sources include those links in your comment.

Summarize what you learned. What was most interesting? What was most surprising? What do you want to know more about? How might psychology shed some light on this type of crime investigation?

Lineup Construction and Evaluation

Put together a lineup. Read the eyewitness guide for information on how to put together a lineup.

Go here: http://www.dc.state.fl.us/AppCommon/

Choose a guy (search on some characteristics, or a name).

Then find fillers to match

Copy and paste into a word document

Print.

Show to friends, collect data according to instructions provided in the below link.

Read: http://eyewitness.utep.edu/consult05B.html

Calculate lineup bias: http://eyewitness.utep.edu/documents/bias-calc.xls 

Write about your experience and findings here.

Read the Guide. https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/178240.pdf

After reading it, discuss some aspect of it that struck you as particularly interesting, insightful, or surprising.

Next, what elements of psychology do you see as underpinnings of the various guidelines? Choose two and specifically detail how the science of psychology is the basis of the particular rule.

For this week, read Ch 5 in C&K on profling

Summarize the chapter. Did you learn anything surprising? Were any of your own ideas about profiling debunked by reading this chapter? What is something you want to learn more about? Search on that topic and report on some additional information about that topic. Provide any links to resources.

Your posts should be getting progressively longer and more detailed. You should clearly link psychology to the legal context under evaluation.

For this week, read Ch 7 in C&K on eyewitness identification and testimony.

Summarize the chapter. What is the most interesting thing you learned? What surprised you the most? What is something you want to learn more about? Search on that topic and report on some additional information about that topic. Provide any links to resources.

Your posts should be getting progressively longer and more detailed. You should clearly link psychology to the legal context under evaluation.

Read the CSI Handbook. Available here: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/178280.pdf

Summarize the handbook. What was the most interesting part of it for you? What surprised you the most? What elements or aspects of Psychology do you think relate to these guidelines?

Read Ch 4 in your Costanzo & Krauss textbook.

Summarize the chapter. What is the most interesting thing you learned? What surprised you the most? What is something you want to learn more about? Search on that topic and report on some additional information about that topic. Provide any links to resources.

Please choose the book you want to do your book report on. The options are here:

http://www.psychologicalscience.com/psylaw/2009/12/books.html

As a comment to THIS post (not the link above), indicate your choice, AND your TUESDAY due date sometime this semester excluding 11/22.

If you have a book in mind that is not on the list, email me the title and a description of the book and I'll see if it'll work for this assignment.

Book report guidelines and grading scheme are available under the course resources tab.

This is your first Topical Blog. Topical blogs will allow you to learn and write about topics that interest you, be project oriented (something to do and report on), or focus on particular topic in psychology and law.

For your first one, I'd like you to browse the blog contents of our Psychology & Law website. You can navigate by clicking on topics that interest you in the right hand column under 'categories.' This isn't about jumping to one topic and writing about it. Most of this assignment is about spending some time reading blog content (say at least 30 minutes).

Then, as a comment to this post, tell us about 3 or so topics you found interesting, and then report in detail about one particular post that you read.

Have fun!