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Recognizes an outstanding undergraduate research paper focused on the interdisciplinary study of psychology and law.

To be eligible for an award, the student must be the major contributor to a project on a topic relevant to psychology and law (i.e., the student had primary responsibility for initiating and conducting the project even though the project will usually be conducted under the supervision of a mentor). Data collection should be complete. Winners will be encouraged to submit their work for presentation at the AP-LS Conference (as first authors). Students may submit their work during their first post-undergraduate year as long as the work was conducted during their undergraduate career. For more information, please click here.

Deadline: June 30, 2024

The American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP) is pleased to announce the following individuals have been awarded the AAFP Dissertation Grant Award for 2024.  The application process was very competitive and the following award recipients were especially impressive.

Talley Bettens, George Mason University

Dissertation Title/Topic:  The inter-relationship of school discipline, youth interrogation, and the school-to-prison pipeline.

Janice Burke, University of Nevada, Reno

Dissertation Title/Topic:  Factors that influence criminal defense attorney’s plea recommendations.

Lena DeYoung, Drexel University

Dissertation Title/Topic:  “Leisure Risk for Youth on Probation: How it Relates to Subsequent Charging and How Probation Officers Address it in Case Planning.”

Cassandre Lariviere, Ontario Tech University

Dissertation Title/Topic:  “The Development of Best Practices for Conducting Investigative Interviews with Older Adults.”

Callie Mazurek, Washington State University

Dissertation Title/Topic:  Neurocognitive and contextual factors that predict antisocial behaviors.

The AAFP Board of Directors wishes to thank the following AAFP Fellows serving as members of the 2024 AAFP Dissertation Grant Committee for their time and careful review of all of the impressive applicants!  They are: Nicole Mack (Chair), Kimberly Brown, Melinda DiCiro, Nick Jasinski, and Angela van der Walt.  We are very grateful for their contribution to the Academy!

James W. Mikesell, Ph.D., ABPP

President-Elect, American Board of Forensic Psychology

The Committee on Early Career Psychologists (CECP) is pleased to announce the call for our Early Career Psychologists Achievement Awards. Three awardees will be selected and granted $2,000 each. Awards will be given to distinguished early career psychologists working in any area of psychology who have made a significant impact on psychology and/or society. Deadline for applications is June 7, 2024. Read More

Avery Chard, Tierney Huppert, Jaymes Fairfax-Columbo, and Katelin Witzke

What is case-based learning?

Case-based learning is a method of teaching that involves discussion of relevant scenarios to enhance the understanding of new topics. Discussing real-world examples can help learners conceptualize an unfamiliar or abstract concept in a simple and specific way. In most cases, a leader or teacher goes over the initial new concept and then facilitates a discussion that is primarily student-led. This allows for a deeper understanding of the material, encouraging problem-solving and a connection to the concept that simple explanations cannot usually achieve.

Click HERE to learn more…

We are getting older. A one-hundred-year trend analysis illustrated that from 1920 to 2020, the 65 and older population grew almost five times faster than the general population; with most recent Census data indicating the population of older adults was 55.8 million or 16.8% of the population.  With the increase in the aging population generally, criminal legal systems are similarly experiencing issues that affect an aging population, such as dementia-related issues. 

To date, there has been little research studying dementia in criminal legal settings with most studies conducted in non-forensic settings like hospitals or nursing homes. Of the research and cases that do exist, there are substantial human, legal, medical, and financial problems criminal legal systems will need to address. The forthcoming AP-LS Book Series sponsored book titled The Psychology of Aging in the Criminal Legal System authored by Lindsey E. Wylie and Eve M. Brank, details these issues by bridging legal and social psychological theories on aging and the law to practice and research with older adults. The following case examples were taken from the book’s chapters on law enforcement and forensic evaluation and illustrate foremost issues confronting older adults presenting dementia symptoms within legal systems.

Click HERE to Read More.

The Career Corner intends to highlight individuals who work at the intersection of law and psychology, where they come from, how they got there, and how their experiences influence their research, teaching, and/or practice. This edition of Career Corner profiles Dr. Nicholas Scurich. Dr. Scurich holds a joint appointment in the Department of Psychological Science, and the Department of Criminology, Law, & Society at University of California, Irvine.

Click HERE to Read More.

Join Division 41 at APA 2024!

We are excited for exceptional divisional programming at APA this year. Our sponsored Symposium on Bias in the Legal System was selected to be on the Featured Stage at APA. Join us for sessions on the latest research, Division 41 Business Meeting and Social Hour, and much more!

For travel information and registration, visit convention.apa.org

Hope to see you there! If you have any questions, please contact one of the co-chairs for Division 41:

Andre Kehn                                   Tara Ryan                                 Krystia Reed

Andre.kehn@und.edu           ryan@nwforensic.org                       kmreed2@utep.edu

The APA Division Science Partners meet quarterly to share science-focused updates between the 54 division liaisons and APA Science Directorate leaders. The meetings facilitate communication between the divisions and to/from the science directorate and the divisions. The last few meetings have included short presentations from select division liaisons. Some highlights from the most recent meeting includes Division 2 (Teaching of Psychology) sharing updates about a forthcoming Special Issue on AI and Teaching of Psychology; Division 18 (Psychologists in Public Service) sharing updates about research grant funding (many AP-LS scholars may be eligible) and information about their 6 subsections, including The Gavel newsletter (specifically from the Criminal Justice Section of Div 18); and Division 51 (Psychology of Men and Masculinities) sharing several updates, including about their Task Force on Boys in School with one-page fact sheets on Learning Disabilities, (Mis)Behavior, and High Achieving Boys. The APA Science Directorate shared information about the Science Spotlight (free newsletter), upcoming Science Trainings, Editor’s Choice (free newsletter), and encouraged divisions to nominate their members for APA Science Awards. If you have things you'd like Div 41 to share with this group, please let your liaison know (currently Tess Neal - tessneal@iastate.edu).

The Committee on Science Advocacy and Communication is a new AP-LS committee that arose from Dr. Lora Levett's presidential initiative in 2022. The committee's goal is to build and implement structures for increasing the impact of psychological science in legal contexts. 

In its first few years, the committee plans to:

1. Assess current science impact mechanisms throughout AP-LS and identify areas for improvement.

2. Monitor and leverage APA resources to elevate the voice of our division and membership. 

3. Consider creating a rapid response process for proactively addressing pertinent social policy issues.

4. Explore re-joining the Consortium of Social Science Associations (COSSA) and partnerships with other organizations to better disseminate our science.

5. Create resources to supplement our scientific review paper process.

6. Develop initiatives to educate our membership on effective science communication.

7. Promote open science practices to make our research more accessible.

8. Determine the AP-LS APA Advocacy Partner's role in communicating APA messaging to our division.

At the 2024 AP-LS Conference, the committee hosted a session titled "So You Want to Make a Difference: Learning about Science Communication at AP-LS." The session featured Drs. Lora Levett, Gina Vincent, and Tamara Kang, who shared their experiences disseminating evidence-based research, practices, and policies to lay audiences. Attendees learned practical guidance for communicating science effectively and had the opportunity to provide input on future educational programming. 

The committee looks forward to continuing its work to help AP-LS members increase the real-world impact of their research. For more information or to get involved, please contact the committee chair, Dr. Lauren Kois, at lek8m@virginia.edu.

Katérine Aminot, University of Manitoba

Judicial Perceptions of Forensic Mental Health Professionals' Competency to Stand Trial Evaluations

Advisor: Dr. Alicia Nijdam-Jones

Award: $1,000

This mixed-methods study will survey judges and lawyers in Canada and the U.S. to examine how profession, gender, and experience affect the perceived credibility of forensic mental health professionals in competency to stand trial evaluations. The study aims to explore whether preferential biases toward psychiatrists persist and the rationale behind these biases.

Natalie Hamm, University of Regina

Grooming Detection: Are Children Successfully Able to Perceive Grooming Behaviours?

Advisor: Dr. Kaila Bruer

Award: $750

This study examines whether children can perceive adults' grooming tactics. Child participants will read stories about child-adult interactions where the child is asked to go to a private/public place with a teacher and either return or not return. Children's perceptions of the appropriateness of the adult's behavior will be assessed.

Paola Zuniga, University of Texas at El Paso

Assessing Attitudes Toward Punitive and Rehabilitative Correctional Policies

Advisor: Dr. Jennifer Eno Louden

Award: $494.40

Using rational choice theory, this study assesses perceptions of correctional policies for men and women charged with violent or non-violent crimes. It examines how belief in a just world, justice involvement, and gender norms influence policy preferences and decision-making, with participants allocating percentages of a budget to different policy options.

Katherine Engel, University of Regina

Adult's Perceptions of Child Eyewitnesses Identification on the Multiple Independent Lineups: A Technique to Assist in Assessing Child Eyewitness Accuracy

Advisor: Dr. Kaila Bruer

Award: $1,000

This study explores how adults perceive child eyewitness identifications made using the multiple independent lineups (MILs) technique compared to a traditional single lineup. It examines if adults view MILs identifications differently and if child eyewitnesses using MILs are perceived as less credible than those making a single lineup identification.

Many thanks to the faculty reviewers, Drs. Nesa Wasarhaley, Amanda Zelechoski, Christopher Peters, and Brett Gardner, for their time and insightful reviews of the applications.

Lauren Kois, PhD

Undergraduate Grants-in-Aid Committee Chair

The American Psychology-Law Society invites proposals for new titles in its book series, which is now published by APA Books. We publish authored and edited volumes on current issues at the intersection of psychology and law. Books are typically a state of the science synthesis of a body of existing research with implications for practice and/or policy. Authors and editors should have a substantial and recent track record of publication and/or practice in psychology or law, and at least one should hold a doctorate in psychology or closely related behavioral science. If you have a proposal for a new book in the series or you would simply like more information, reach out to a member of the editorial team. We would be happy to tell you more.    

The editorial board members are:

For more information or if you wish to contact a member of the AP-LS Executive Committee, details can be found here.

EDITOR

Meg Ternes
meg.ternes@smu.ca

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Taylor Petty

tepetty@usi.edu 

STUDENT ASSISTANT EDITOR

Jennifer McArthur

jennifer.mcarthur@dal.ca 

CONTENT EDITORS–RESEARCH BRIEFS

Kelly McWilliams
kmcwilliams@jjay.cuny.edu

Veronica Johnson
vjohnson@jjay.cuny.edu

CONTENT EDITOR–LEGAL UPDATE

Lori Hoetger
lhoetger@gmail.com

CONTENT EDITOR–TEACHING IN PSYCH & LAW

Casey LaDuke

ttc@ap-ls.org 

CONTENT EDITOR–CAREER CORNER

Kamar Tazi
aplsstudent@gmail.com 

CONTENT EDITOR–CLINICAL & FORENSIC PRACTICE

Danielle Rynczak
danielle.rynczak@umassmed.edu

AP-LS seeks to advance the science of psychology - law and the translation of psychology - law knowledge into practice. Our mission is to enhance the well-being, justice, and human rights though science and practice of psychology in legal contexts.

Archives of the newsletter are available at https://ap-ls.org/newsletter.

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