Seminar in Social Psychology:

"Children, Psychology, and the Law"

Psychology 518 (2:30 - 5:30 Mondays) Spring 1999

University of Illinois at Chicago

Professor Bette L. Bottoms

Office: BSB 1046D; E-mail: bbottoms@uic.edu

Phone: (312) 413-2635; FAX: (312) 413-4122

GENERAL COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES:

More and more children are becoming involved in our legal system, a system that was designed for adults. Special issues arise when children enter that system. These issues have begun to receive a considerable amount of attention from psychological researchers. In this seminar, we will focus on psychological research (particularly social psychological research) investigating a number of those issues, including the nature of and societal response to child maltreatment, the reliability of children’s eyewitness testimony, courtroom accommodations for children, jurors’ perceptions of children’s testimony, factors involved in custody and adoption decisions, and juvenile justice. Throughout the class, we will focus on how psychological research can contribute to a better understanding of the issues and how law and social policy can be informed by research.

READINGS:

Readings are empirical, theoretical, and review articles and chapters from a variety of journals and books. A list of readings is attached. One copy of all readings will be placed outside the professor’s office. Another copy will be placed on reserve in the main library. Please make your copies well ahead of time and never sign-out copies for more than 2 hours.

FORMAT AND GRADING:

The course will be conducted mainly as a seminar rather than a lecture course. Emphasis will be placed on the preparation and active participation of all seminar members. The success of the course will depend, in large part, on student participation at a level appropriate for graduate work. This includes completing all readings prior to class and being prepared to discuss the theories, methods, and findings from all readings, as well as the implications of readings for law, policy, and for future psychological research.

Grades will be assigned on the basis of in-class participation (12%), class preparation essays (16%), in-class oral reports (15%), and two exams (57%).

%                 Grade Assignment

12%     1. In-Class Participation: Self-motivated, regular, and thoughtful in-class verbal contributions that illustrate your mastery of the readings.

16%     2. Class Preparation Essays: Formally written, but brief (1- to 2- double-spaced pages) essays, due in Professor Bottoms’ mailbox by 11:00 a.m. on Monday, the day of class. You are required to complete 8 of 12 possible papers. Class participants will amaze and impress each other by discussing the contents of their papers in class each week.

     Rather than being simple summaries of the week’s readings, these essays are an opportunity for you to go beyond the readings in creative and thoughtful ways. In each paper, you will develop one or two ideas related to the issues in that week’s readings. (If your idea is grand and detailed, one idea is sufficient. Otherwise, you’ll probably want to discuss two ideas. It’s great if the ideas relate to research you are already doing.) The "ideas" must fall into these categories:

    (a) an idea for future research (state the research question and a testable hypothesis, describe why it is important and how it flows from previous psychological research and theory, and sketch a rudimentary design to test the hypothesis);

    (b) a new theory (or a novel application of an existing theory) to explain or tie together existing research findings; or

    (c) a specific social policy or law that could be changed or newly created (describe the policy or law, give its psychological justification, describe how it would be useful).

    Even though these are very brief papers, your writing should be clear and conform generally to the rules of APA style (in terms of grammar and punctuation, etc.).The key is making your points concisely, yet thoroughly enough so I can understand your ideas.

57%     3. Examinations: In lieu of a final term paper, there will be a mid-term and a final exam. The mid-term will cover all material through Feb. 22; the final will cover material from March 8 through April 26. Exams will be pretty straightforward, designed solely to encourage your learning of the information from readings, class discussion, and oral reports. Exams should not provoke great anxiety or a lot of extra work, because preparation for them should be accomplished weekly as you prepare for classes. You may even bring to the exam one 3" x 5" card of information.

15%     4. Oral Reports: 3 in-class reports. To reduce the number of readings assigned to the entire class, there will be one or two "special reports" during each class (everyone will give a special report during Week 14, April 19). The special report will focus on an auxiliary reading of interest to the entire class.

           In general, the importance of expressing ideas orally is often overlooked in graduate school, but it is essential for success. (I am reminded of this each time the department conducts searches for junior faculty and there are inevitably some very bad job talks.) Here are some guidelines for preparing an "A" report: Generally, you are responsible for explaining the main points of your article and for leading a discussion of how the article is relevant to that day's common readings. Summarize the reading so that everyone understands what information it contains. If the article describes an empirical study, be sure to mention the predictions, methodology, main findings, and conclusions. If the article is a theoretical piece, state the main premise and basic argument, as well as evidence used to support the thesis. For any article, present a critical analysis of the work (that is, add your own thoughts about the work and how you think it is relevant to the class). The formal, prepared part of your presentation should last no more than 10-15 minutes, although the class discussion can make this last longer. In fact, the very best presentations will encourage and involve class discussion.

            Give your reports from notes rather than the article. Do not read from a "highlighted" version of the article (a sure way to bore us all). Always use 1- or 2- page handouts (which may duplicate overhead transparencies, if you use transparencies) to help make the main points of the paper. Handouts and overheads should consist of only a scaffolding or outline of phrases that capture key points, not a lot of prose. Handouts are also important because they will help your classmates take notes on your presentation--remember, the exams will include information you present.

            Finally, don’t be nervous--give your report in a relaxed, but professional manner. Nervousness usually stems from being ill-prepared. There is nothing more tedious and even embarrassing than being forced to sit through an ill-prepared presentation. Think about bad presentations you’ve attended. Make a list of the things that made the presentation horrible, and avoid them all! Make sure your reports are concise, accurate, and well-prepared--even over prepared. If necessary, write out every word you plan to say and practice the report out loud several times. Be sure to pay attention to the timing of your presentation and don’t go over your allotted time.

MISCELLANEOUS:

Attending all classes is very important. Students who miss classes are responsible for all notes, announcements, and handouts for that class. No late work will be accepted and no "incompletes" will be given. Academic dishonesty (including, but not limited to, copying the words of a fellow student or of any other author in your essays or oral reports, or cheating on an exam) will get you an automatic "E" for the course and judicial charges.

Course Schedule

=====================================================
Week 1, Jan. 11 Introduction: Overview of course content and requirements

Week 2, Jan. 18 [Martin Luther King Day: No class.]

Week 3, Jan. 25 Child maltreatment:
        I. Prevalence, characteristics, and effects of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse.

        II. Societal and legal responses to child maltreatment: Historical perspectives, law, and backlash.

Week 4, Feb. 1 Disseminating social science research to courts and policy makers

Week 5, Feb. 8 Child maltreatment:
        III. Sex offenders:Psychological, legal, and policy perspectives on recidivism, treatment, punishment, and societal protection.

Week 6, Feb. 15 Child maltreatment: IV. Memories of abuse

Week 7, Feb. 22 Children’s testimony: I. An overview of children’s memory and suggestibility

Week 8, March 1 Children’s testimony: II. Socioemotional factors affecting the accuracy and suggestibility of children’s reports

Week 9, March 8     MIDTERM EXAM

*** March 15 SPRING BREAK ***

Week 10, March 22 Children’s testimony: III. Courtroom accommodations: Effects on children’s actual and perceived credibility

Week 11, March 29 Children’s testimony: IV. Factors affecting assessments of children’s credibility

Week 12, April 5 Children’s rights

Week 13, April 12 Children, divorce, and custody

Week 14, April 19 Foster care, termination of parental rights, and adoption

Week 15, April 26 Juvenile violence, juvenile justice

Week 16, May 3 FINAL EXAM
 
 

Children, Psychology, and Law (PSCH 394)

Course Readings

NOTE: The article by Goodman, Emery, & Haugaard (1998) will be read in pieces throughout the semester--note specific pages for various weeks. Also, within each week, articles should be read in the order they are listed.

=====================================================
Week 1, Jan. 11 Introduction: Overview of course content and requirements
        (No readings)

Week 2, Jan. 18 [NOTE: There will be no class meeting on January 18, because it is Martin Luther King Day.
        There will be readings, however, which are included in the list below for class on Jan. 25.]

Week 3, Jan. 25 Child maltreatment: I. & II.

I. Prevalence, characteristics, and effects of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse. 1. [pp. 797-806]: Goodman, G. S., Emery, R., & Haugaard, J. (1998). Developmental psychology and law: Divorce, child maltreatment, foster care, and adoption. In I. Siegel & A. Renninger (Eds.), Child psychology in practice, in W. Damon (Series Ed.), Handbook of child psychology (Vol. 4), NY: Wiley.

2. Kendall-Tackett, K. A., Williams, L. M., & Finkelhor, D. (1993). Impact of sexual abuse on children: A review and synthesis of recent empirical studies. Psychological Bulletin, 113, 164-180.

3. Bottoms, B. L., Shaver, P. R., Goodman, G. S., & Qin, J. J. (1995). In the name of God: A profile of religion-related child abuse. Journal of Social Issues, 51, 85-111.

 * Special Report: Hart, S., Brassard, M. R., & Karlson, H. C., (1996). Psychological maltreatment. In J. Briere, L. Berliner, J. A. Bulkley, C. Jenny, & T. Reid (Eds.), The APSAC Handbook on Child Maltreatment (pp. 72-89). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.


II. Societal and legal responses to child maltreatment: Historical perspectives, law, and backlash.

1. [pp. 775-782 & 821-824]: Goodman, G. S., Emery, R., & Haugaard, J. (1998). Developmental psychology and law: Divorce, child maltreatment, foster care, and adoption. In I. Siegel & A. Renninger (Eds.), Child psychology in practice (pp. 775-876), in W. Damon (Series Ed.), Handbook of child psychology (Vol. 4), NY: Wiley.

2. Myers, J. E. B. (1998). Overview of the American legal system. Legal issues in child abuse and neglect. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

3. Myers, J. E. B. (Ed.) (1994). Definitions and origins of the backlash against child protection. The backlash: Child protection under fire. (pp. 17-30). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

 Week 4, Feb. 1 Disseminating social science research to courts and policy makers. 1. Grisso, T., & Melton, G. (1987). Getting child development research to legal practitioners: Which way to the trenches? In G. Melton (Ed.), Reforming the law: Impact of child development research (pp. 146-178). New York: Guilford. 2. Secrest, L. B., & Bootzin, R. R. (1996). Psychology and inferences about public policy. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 2, 377-392.   * Special Report: Mehl, P. E. (1989). Law and the fireside inductions (with postscript): Some reflections of a clinical psychologist. Behavioral Sciences and the Law, 7, 521-550.   Week 5, Feb. 8 Child maltreatment: III. Sex offenders: Psychological, legal, and policy perspectives on recidivism, assessment, treatment, and societal protection. 1. Becker, J. V., & Murphy, W. D. (1998). What we know and do not know about assessing and treating sex offenders. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 4, 116-137.

2. Winick, B. J. (1998). Sexual offender laws in the 1990s: A therapeutic jurisprudence analysis. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 4, 505-570.


Optional for extra reading:

LaFond, J. Q., & Winick, B. J. (1998). Sex offenders and the law. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 4, 3-24. [This is the forward that details the contents of an entire special issue of Psychology, Public Policy, and Law devoted to a wide range of topics related to this week’s readings.]   * Special Report: Pithers, W. D., & Gray, A. (1998). The other half of the story: Children with sexual behavior problems. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 4, 200-217.   Week 6, Feb. 15 Child maltreatment: IV. Memories of abuse 1. [pp. 807-810]: Goodman, G. S., Emery, R., & Haugaard, J. (1998). Developmental psychology and law: Divorce, child maltreatment, foster care, and adoption. In I. Siegel & A. Renninger (Eds.), Child psychology in practice (pp. 775-876), in W. Damon (Series Ed.), Handbook of child psychology (Vol. 4), NY: Wiley.

2. Lindsay, D. S., & Read, J. D. (1995). "Memory work" and recovered memories of childhood sexual abuse: Scientific evidence and public, professional, and personal issues. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 4, 846-908.

3. Bottoms, B. L., & Davis, S. L. (1997). The creation of satanic ritual abuse. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 16, 112-132.

  * Special Report: Loftus, E. F. (1997). Creating false memories. Scientific American, 277, 70-75.   Week 7, Feb. 22 Children’s testimony: I. An overview of children’s memory and suggestibility 1. [pp. 810-821]: Goodman, G. S., Emery, R., & Haugaard, J. (1998). Developmental psychology and law: Divorce, child maltreatment, foster care, and adoption. In I. Siegel & A. Renninger (Eds.), Child psychology in practice (pp. 775-876), in W. Damon (Series Ed.), Handbook of child psychology (Vol. 4), NY: Wiley.

2. Ceci, S. J., & Bruck, M. (1998). Chapter 11. In I. Siegel & A. Renninger (Eds.), Child psychology in practice, in W. Damon (Series Ed.), Handbook of child psychology (Vol. 4), NY: Wiley.

  * Special Reports: Bradly, A., & Wood, J. (1996). How do children tell? The disclosure process in child sexual abuse. Child Abuse and Neglect, 20, 881-891. Herrmann, D., & Yoder, C. (1998). The potential effects of the implanted memory paradigm on child subjects. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 12, 198-206.  
and
  Replies to the article by various researchers including the rejoinder: Yoder, C., & Herrmann, D. (1998). Revisiting the ethics of implanted memory research with children. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 12, 245-249.   Week 8, Mar. 1 Children’s testimony: II. Socioemotional factors affecting the accuracy and suggestibility of children’s reports 1. Saywitz, K. J., Goodman, G. S., Nicholas, E., & Moan, S. F. (1991). Children’s memories of a physical examination involving genital touch: Implications for reports of child sexual abuse. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 59, 682-691.

2. Bottoms, B. L., Schwartz-Kenney, B. M., Goodman, G. S., & Thomas, S. F. Keeping secrets: Implications for children’s eyewitness reports. Manuscript under review, Law and Human Behavior.

3. Davis, S. L., & Bottoms, B. L. (in press). The effects of social support on the accuracy of children’s reports: Implications for the forensic interview. In M. L. Eisen, G. S. Goodman, & J. A. Quas (Eds.), Memory and suggestibility in the forensic interview. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

  * Special Reports: Goodman, G. S., Bottoms, B. L., Rudy, L., Davis, S., Schwartz-Kenney, B. M., & England, P. (in preparation). Effects of past abuse experiences on children’s eyewitness memory.   Quas, J. A., Qin, J. J., Schaaf, J., & Goodman, G. S. (under review). Individual differences in children’s suggestibility and false event memory: Recent research and new directions.   Week 9, Mar. 8 MIDTERM EXAM
        (no readings)

*** [MARCH 15: SPRING BREAK] ***

Week 10, Mar. 22 Children’s testimony: III. Courtroom accommodations: Effects on children’s actual and perceived credibility

1. [pp. 824-827]: Goodman, G. S., Emery, R., & Haugaard, J. (1998). Developmental psychology and law: Divorce, child maltreatment, foster care, and adoption. In I. Siegel & A. Renninger (Eds.), Child psychology in practice (pp. 775-876), in W. Damon (Series Ed.), Handbook of child psychology (Vol. 4), NY: Wiley.

2. Myers, J. E. B. (1996). A decade of international reform to accommodate child witnesses: Steps toward a child witness code. In B. L. Bottoms & G. S. Goodman (Eds.), International perspectives on children's testimony (pp. 221-265). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

3. Goodman, G. S., Tobey, A. E., Batterman-Faunce, J. M., Orcutt, H., Thomas, S., Shapiro C., & Sachsenmaier, T. (1998). Face-to-face confrontation: Effects of closed-circuit technology on children’s eyewitness testimony and jurors’ decisions. Law and Human Behavior, 22, 165-203.

 * Special Report:  Kovera, M. B., & Borgida, E. (1998). Expert scientific testimony on child witnesses in the age of Daubert. In S. J. Ceci & H. Hembrooke (Eds.), Expert witnesses in child abuse cases. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.   Week 11, Mar. 29 Children’s testimony: IV. Factors affecting assessments of children’s credibility 1. Bottoms, B. L. (1993). Individual differences in perceptions of child sexual assault victims. In G. S. Goodman & B. L. Bottoms (Eds.), Child victims, child witnesses (pp. 229-262). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

2. Ruby, C. L., & Brigham, J. C. (1997). The usefulness of the criteria-based content analysis technique in distinguishing between truthful and fabricated allegations: A critical review. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 3, 705-737.

  * Special Reports: Haegerich, T. (1998). Juror empathy and decision-making in a child patricide trial. Master’s Thesis Proposal.   Nysse, K. (1998). Detecting children’s deceit. Master’s Thesis Proposal.   Week 12, April 5 Children’s rights 1. Hart, S. N. (1991). From property to person status: Historical perspective on children’s rights. American Psychologist, 46, 53-59.

2. The United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Child.

3. Limber, S. P., & Flekkoy, M. G. (1995). The U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child: Its relevance for social scientists. Social Policy Report, 9(2).

4. Limber, S. P., & Wilcox, B. L. (1996). Application of the U. N. Convention on the Rights of the Child to the United States. American Psychologist, 51, 1246-1250.

5. Melton, G. B. (1996). The child’s rights to a family environment: Why children’s rights and family values are compatible. American Psychologist, 51, 1234-1238.

  * Special Report: Melton, G. B., & Limber, S. P. (1992). What children’s rights mean to children: Children’s own views. In M. Freeman & P. Veerman (Eds.) The ideologies of children’s rights, pp. 167-187. Norwell, MA: Kluwer.   Week 13, April 12 Children, divorce, and custody 1. [pp. 782-797]: Goodman, G. S., Emery, R., & Haugaard, J. (1998). Developmental psychology and law: Divorce, child maltreatment, foster care, and adoption. In I. Siegel & A. Renninger (Eds.), Child psychology in practice (pp. 775-876), in W. Damon (Series Ed.), Handbook of child psychology (Vol. 4), NY: Wiley.   * Special Report: APA Guidelines for Child Custody Evaluations in Divorce Proceedings. (1994). American Psychologist, 49, 677-680. Week 14, April 19 Foster care, termination of parental rights, and adoption 1. [pp. 828-850]: Goodman, G. S., Emery, R., & Haugaard, J. (1998). Developmental psychology and law: Divorce, child maltreatment, foster care, and adoption. In I. Siegel & A. Renninger (Eds.), Child psychology in practice (pp. 775-876), in W. Damon (Series Ed.), Handbook of child psychology (Vol. 4), NY: Wiley.   * Special Reports:  Each student in the class will report on an article or chapter of his or her choice that addresses psychological research and/or law related to one of the following issues. All issues are summarized in the Goodman et al. reading, in which there are numerous citations to papers that may be used for reports. Patterson, C. J., & Redding, R. E. (1996). Lesbian and gay families with children: Implications of social science research for policy. Journal of Social Issues, 52, 29-50. Week 15, April 26 Juvenile violence, juvenile justice 1. Kotlowitz, A. (1991). There are no children here: The story of two boys growing up in the other America. New York: Doubleday.

**NOTE: Read the book OR watch the movie.**

2. Whitebread, C., & Heilman, J. (1988). An overview of the law of juvenile delinquency. Behavioral Sciences and the Law, 6, 285-305.

3. Grisso, T. (1996). Society’s retributive response to juvenile violence: A developmental perspective. Law and Human Behavior, 20, 229-247.

 Optional reading for those who want specifics about Illinois juvenile justice laws: Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (1997). Juvenile justice. Trends & Issues 1997, 151-160.   * Special Report: Kruh, I. P., & Brodsky, S. L. (1997). Clinical evaluations for transfer of juveniles to criminal court: Current practices and future research. Behavioral Sciences and the Law, 15, 151-165.