PSYCHOLOGY AND LAW

In this article we review the historical and present-day aspects of ps ychology and law in Spain. We note that it is a specialist area in whi ch there has been research and practice during the past five years. Th ere are two basic orientations: academic and professional. From an his torical point of view we shall indicate three key events: first, the a ppearance of a book by Mira y Lopez; second, the publication of an Ann ual on Forensic Sociology-and Psychology and the publication of a book by Munoz Sabate; finally the pivotal change produced in 1986, and the last two National Congresses of Social Psychology. From a thematic po int of view, we shall indicate the following areas which received more attention in psychological research: testimony in trials, judges' sen tences, juries, and applications of psychology in the penitentiary sys tem.