Full Description
The use of the battered woman syndrome defense in the courts is controversial, particularly when women turn to homicide in response to a partner's abuse. Scholars worry that the syndrome has created a standard to which all battered women are compared. This book provides a comprehensive examination of the evolution of the syndrome, its effectiveness in court, and the contributions made by psychologists and legal scholars to aid our understanding of the use of battered woman syndrome evidence in trials of abused women who kill. Of particular interest is the influence of history, gender roles, and stereotypes in the evaluation of defendants who claim to suffer from the syndrome.
Contents
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Preface
Introduction
1. A General Description of the Problem
2. A Historical Analysis of Legal Responses to Battering
3. Theories Related to Domestic Violence: Abusers and Abused
4. Perceptions of Battered Women: Myth v. Reality
5. The Diversity of Battered Women: Myth v. Reality
6. The Battered Woman Syndrome: The Good, the Bad and the Alternatives
7. When Women Fight Back and Kill Their Abusers: A Realistic Appraisal of Danger or Pathology?
8. The Law of Self-Defense
9. The Evolution of Expert Testimony of the Battered Woman Syndrome in the Courtroom
10. The Admissibility of Evidence: Understanding Legal Standards
11. Theories of Jury Decision Making: The Role of Prior Beliefs and Social Cognition
12. The Battered Woman Syndrome and Social Cognition: Creating a Stereotype or Effectively Replacing Misconceptions?
13. Syndrome or Excuse: A Critical Analysis of the Use of the Syndrome
14. Redefining the Future of the Syndrome
References
Index
