PSYCHOLOGY AND CAPITAL LITIGATION - RESEARCH CONTRIBUTIONS TO COURTROOM CONSULTATION

After briefly reviewing the history of capital punishment in the Unite d States, we describe the activities most often performed by behaviora l science litigation consultants, and we review five areas of psychole gal research that courtroom consultants can call on to guide their int erventions. The research literatures of most frequent use to psycholeg al researchers and litigation consultants are (a) assessment of public opinion about crime and punishment, (b) the effects of death qualific ation during voir dire, (c) the process and effects of sentencing-phas e evidence, (d) the possibility of discriminatory application of the d eath penalty, and (e) the effects of litigation consultation itself. P ractical implications for consultants from each of these literatures a re considered.