Handbook of Community Sentiment

?This volume is the most comprehensive reference book on community sentiment available. The classic book about community sentiment is Norm Finkel's 'Commonsense Justice: Jurors' Notions of the Law' (1995). A similarly influential book called 'Justice, Liability, and Blame' was published at the same time, examining lay sentiment about a variety of criminal issues and suggesting ways in which the substantive criminal law could be reformed in light of such lay responses (Robinson & Darley, 1995). Although these books were influential and important for their time (and since), this Handbook expands significantly on them, both by updating research since that time and broadens the scope of topic areas to ones that are not limited to trial and criminal justice issues. Each chapter is original/unpublished and focuses on an area related to children/families, many of which are 'hot topic' areas in the news and courts today. For instance, the U.S. Supreme Court decided a case in June 2012 about the constitutionality of 'life without parole' for juvenile offenders-a topic discussed in the Fass and Miora chapter. Thus, it is of interest to those interested in family law topics as well.?

Monica Miller, J.D., Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Social Psychology and also the department of Criminal Justice at the University of Nevada, Reno. She is also affiliated with the Grant Sawyer Center for Justice Studies and the Women's Studies program at UNR. Monica has written two books (most recently 'God in the Courtroom' which was published by Oxford University Press in 2009), has edited two books (most recently 'Stress and Wellbeing in the Courtroom,' expected in 2012 from Oxford University Press), and has published dozens of articles, many on topics related to this book. Together with Jared Chamberlain, she is currently editing a book for Oxford University Press called 'Developmental psychology, law, and the wellbeing of children.' The volume focuses on the developmental issues related to legal actions affecting children. Monica is co-editor of the Psychology and Crime book series published by New York University Press and is on the editorial board of the journal Psychology, Crime, and Law. Jeremy A. Blumenthal, J.D., Ph.D., is Professor of Law at Syracuse University College of Law. He is Affiliate Faculty in the Psychology Department at Syracuse University and a Research Associate at the Maxwell School of Public Policy. Blumenthal is an editor of the treatise Modern Scientific Evidence, and has published widely in legal and psychological journals on a variety of topics, a number of which examine public perceptions and community sentiment. Jared Chamberlain, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Clinical Psychology Graduate Program at the Arizona School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University, Phoenix. Jared has published several articles in the area of psychology and the law and has extensive experience editing graduate level work (e.g., dissertations and manuscripts). Together with Monica Miller, Jared is currently editing a book for Oxford University press called 'Developmental psychology, law, and the wellbeing of children.' The volume focuses on the developmental issues related to legal actions affecting children.