Psychology, Law, and the Wellbeing of Children

Edited by Monica K. Miller, Jared Chamberlain, and Twila Wingrove

American Psychology-Law Society Series

Presents a unique approach that focuses on how specific legal actions impact children's development and wellbeing
Covers the most current and hotly debated topics pertaining to children, such as gender-specific programming in detention centers, sex offender laws that affect juveniles, allowing children a voice in divorce proceedings, and whether children should be required to receive HPV vaccines
Discusses the community sentiment surrounding legal actions that affect children
Provides original empirical evidence and psycho-legal analysis concerning numerous legal actions
Chapters are written by top researchers and practitioners in psychology and law

Psychology, Law, and the Wellbeing of Children

Edited by Monica K. Miller, Jared Chamberlain, and Twila Wingrove

American Psychology-Law Society Series

Description

Lawmakers and judges often enact and enforce laws and policies that impact youth. The extent to which these legal actions are sensitive to juveniles' perspectives and experiences has changed recently. Compared to an earlier time when juvenlies were treated the same as adults, many policies are now created with the needs of juveniles in mind, thanks in part to psychological studies that have revealed that the decision making, behavior, and cognitions of children vary drastically from those of adults.

Unique in its angle and in the breadth of social issues it covers, Psychology, Law, and the Wellbeing of Children brings together new research and analyses to address how legal actions affect children's wellbeing. It addresses how civil and criminal law has evolved to protect, and sometimes inadvertently neglect or harm, the wellbeing and development of children. Each chapter describes a law or policy affecting children, identifies the relevant psychological issues, reviews the research that has been conducted or should be conducted, and provides recommendations for professionals in law and/or psychology. With contributions from top researchers and practitioners in the field, chapters discuss many current debates, including issues such as gender-specific programming for juvenile delinquents, interrogations of juveniles, changes in divorce and custody procedures, programs for imprisoned mothers, and legal actions adopted to protect the health of children and society (e.g., HPV vaccinations, considering child obesity to be abuse). This book will be a vital resource for those interested in protecting the wellbeing of children, including academics and researchers in psychology, criminology, and sociology; practitioners such as judges, attorneys, forensic psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers; and graduate and law students.

Psychology, Law, and the Wellbeing of Children

Edited by Monica K. Miller, Jared Chamberlain, and Twila Wingrove

American Psychology-Law Society Series

Series Foreword
Acknowledgments
About the Editors
Contributors

1. Psychology, law, and the wellbeing of children: An overview
Monica K. Miller and Jared C. Chamberlain

2. Psychology, Law, and the Wellbeing of Children: A Developmental Perspective
Twila Wingrove and Sarah J. Beal

Part I: Legal Actions Affecting the Wellbeing and Recognizing (or Ignoring) the Developmental Abilities of Juvenile Delinquents

3. Psycho-Legal Aspects of Juvenile Delinquency
Cheryl D. Wills

4. Police Interviewing and Interrogation of Adolescent Suspects: Process and Outcomes
Hayley M.D. Cleary and Sarah Vidal

5. Applying Sex Offender Registry Laws to Juvenile Offenders: Biases against Stigmatized Youth
Jessica M. Salerno, Margaret Stevenson, Cynthia J. Najdowski, Tisha R.A. Wiley, Bette L. Bottoms, and Liana Peter-Hagene

6. Female Juvenile Offenders' Perceptions of Gender-Specific Programs
Monica K. Miller, Lacey Miller, and Angela D. Broadus

7. Balancing Legal, Ethical, and Clinical Considerations when Managing Suicidality in Research with Juvenile Justice Involved Youth
Christy L. Giallella, Naomi E. S. Goldstein, and David DeMatteo

Part II: Legal actions affecting the wellbeing of children experiencing parental divorce

8. Hearing the Voice of the Child in Divorce
Robin H. Ballard, Brittany N. Rudd, Amy G. Applegate, and Amy Holtzworth-Munroe

9. Establishing Child Support and Visitation Enforcement Offices: Promoting Fairness, Compliance, and Children's Wellbeing
Monica K. Miller and Jon Maskaly

10. Parental Alienation and the Best Interests of the Child
R. Brian Howe and Katherine Covell

Part III: Legal actions affecting the wellbeing of children

11. The Search for Therapeutic Solutions to Maternal Incarceration: Promoting the Wellbeing of Children
Monica K. Miller and Lacey Miller

12. Immigrant Parents' Perceptions of the "Best Interests of the Child"
Qingwen Xu

13. Assessment of Mock Jurors' Attributions and Decisions in Child Abuse Cases: Protecting the Wellbeing of Obese Children
Jenny Reichert and Monica K. Miller

14. A Preliminary Analysis of Public Commentary Supporting and Opposing Mandatory HPV Vaccination: Implications for Policy
Lorie L. Sicafuse and Monica K. Miller

15. The Law and Child Wellbeing: Where are We and Where Do We Go From Here?
Twila Wingrove and Jennifer L. Jarrett

Index

Psychology, Law, and the Wellbeing of Children

Edited by Monica K. Miller, Jared Chamberlain, and Twila Wingrove

American Psychology-Law Society Series

Author Information

Monica K. Miller, JD, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Criminal Justice Department and the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Social Psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Jared Chamberlain, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at the Arizona School of Professional Psychology (ASPP) at Argosy University, Phoenix.

Twila Wingrove, JD, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Appalachian State University.

Contributors:

Amy G. Applegate, J.D., is a Clinical Professor of Law and currently the Director of the Viola J. Taliaferro Family and Children Mediation Clinic at the Indiana University Maurer School of Law (Law School)

Robin H. Ballard, Ph.D., Robin H. Ballard, Ph.D., is a clinical intern at Ryther Child Center in Seattle, Washington

Sarah J. Beal, Ph.D., is a postdoctoral fellow in the Division of Adolescent Medicine at Cincinnati Children's Hospital and Medical Center

Bette L. Bottoms, Ph.D., is Professor of Psychology at University of Illinois at Chicago

Angela D. Broadus, Ph.D. is an instructor at the University of Nevada, Reno

Jared C. Chamberlain, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Clinical Psychology Graduate Program at Argosy University in Phoenix

Hayley Cleary, MPP, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice in the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University

Katherine Covell, Ph.D., is a Professor of psychology and executive director of the Children's Rights Centre at Cape Breton University, Canada

David DeMatteo, J.D., Ph.D., is Director of the J.D./Ph.D. Program in Law and Psychology at Drexel University, where he is also an Associate Professor of Psychology and Law

Christy L. Giallella, M.S., is a Ph.D. candidate in clinical psychology at Drexel University

Naomi E. S. Goldstein, Ph.D., is Associate Professor of Psychology and co-Director of the J.D./Ph.D. Program in Law and Psychology at Drexel University

Amy Holtzworth-Munroe, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Indiana University-Bloomington

R. Brian Howe, Ph.D., is a Professor of political science and a co-founder and co-director of the Children's Rights Centre at Cape Breton University in Nova Scotia, Canada

Jennifer Jarrett is a graduate student at Appalachian State University

Jon Maskaly, M.A. is a Ph.D. student at the University of South Florida-Tampa in the Department of Criminology (Ph.D. expected 2013).

Lacey Miller, M.A., earned her M.A. in criminal justice from the University of Nevada, Reno

Monica K. Miller, J.D., Ph.D., is an Associate Professor with appointments in the Criminal Justice department and the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in Social Psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno

Cynthia J. Najdowski, Ph.D. is Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at University at Albany-SUNY

Liana Peter-Hagene, M.A. is a doctoral student in social and personality psychology at the University of Illinois at Chicago

Jenny Reichert Ph.D. (ABD) is a doctoral candidate in the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Social Psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno (Ph.D. is expected in 2014)

Brittany N. Rudd, BA, is a PhD student in the Clinical Science, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Indiana University - Bloomington

Jessica M. Salerno, Ph.D. is Assistant Professor of Psychology at Arizona State University

Lorie Sicafuse Ph.D. (ABD) is a doctoral candidate in the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Social Psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno (Ph.D. expected 2013)

Margaret Stevenson, Ph.D., is Assistant Professor of Psychology at University of Evansville

Sarah Vidal, M.P.P., is a doctoral student in the Department of Psychology at Georgetown University

Tisha R.A. Wiley, Ph.D., is a Health Scientist Administrator at the National Institute on Drug Abuse

Cheryl D. Wills, M.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University and is the Director of the Child and Adolescent Forensic Psychiatric Services at University Hospitals of Cleveland

Twila Wingrove, J.D., Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the psychology department at Appalachian State University

Qingwen Xu, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Tulane University School of Social Work

Psychology, Law, and the Wellbeing of Children

Edited by Monica K. Miller, Jared Chamberlain, and Twila Wingrove

American Psychology-Law Society Series

Reviews and Awards

"This is not at all the typical anthology, which is too often a mere potpourri of pieces on kids, psychology, and law. Instead, this volume is a conceptually coherent, well thought-out and well organized work that touches on the crucial issues of the law's impact on the psychological wellbeing of children. As such, the editors and contributors are to be congratulated on a major contribution to the literature of therapeutic jurisprudence-and to the wellbeing of the multitude of children somehow affected by the law and the legal system." -David B. Wexler, Distinguished Research Professor of Law Emeritus, University of Arizona, and Professor of Law and Director, International Network on Therapeutic Jurisprudence, University of Puerto Rico