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Specialty Chief Editor Corine de Ruiter aims to bridge the gap between the fields of cognitive-legal and clinical-forensic psychology.

Frontiers in Psychology announces the launch of a new section, Forensic and Legal Psychology, in collaboration with Professor Corine de Ruiter of Maastricht University as the Specialty Chief Editor.

This new section takes forensic and legal psychology into the 21st century, by providing a platform for interdisciplinary research on these two increasingly connected fields.

“I believe it is of great importance that forensic psychologists learn about legal psychology, and vice versa,” says Professor de Ruiter, a forensic-clinical psychologist. “It is my wish that our new section will help bridge the gap that still exists to some extent between the fields of cognitive-legal and clinical-forensic psychology.”

For example, when forensic psychologists conduct an evaluation of a defendant, they must be able to objectively judge the existing information in the legal files. And conversely, legal psychologists advising police forces need to be knowledgeable about the psychology of the people against whom allegations and charges are being made.

Despite the interrelation between forensic psychology and legal psychology, the separation between the two fields is distinct in many journals. This hinders the collaboration opportunities for researchers in these fields. The new Forensic and Legal Psychology section addresses this gap.

Professor de Ruiter’s research interests range from the development, prevention and treatment of antisocial behavior to evidence-based risk assessments. During her work she has found it crucial to possess knowledge of a range of legal psychology issues, such as investigative interviewing, eyewitness testimony and deception detection.

Frontiers in Psychology also welcomes the following new Associate Editors for the Forensic and Legal Psychology section:

• Dr. Renate Volbert, Berlin Psychological University, Germany

• Dr. Melanie Sauerland, Maastricht University, Netherlands

• Dr. Agata Debowska, University of Sheffield, UK

• Dr. Daniel Boduszek, University of Huddersfield, UK

• Dr. Colin Tredoux, University of Cape Town, South Africa

• Dr. Pekka Santilla, New York University Shanghai, China

• Dr. Gavin Oxburgh, Newcastle University, UK

• Dr. Connie J Beck, University of Arizona, USA

• Dr. Conor Duggan, University of Nottingham, UK

• Dr. Jane Goodman-Delahunty, Charles Sturt University, Australia

See Professor de Ruiter’s mission statement for more information on her vision for the section.

Forensic and Legal Psychology welcomes high-quality article submissions and Research Topic proposals.

[1] Bush, S. S., & Heck, A. L. (Eds.). (2018). Forensic geropsychology: Practice essentials. Washington, DC, US: American Psychological Association.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0000082-000

[2] Voskou, P., Douzenis, A., Economou, A., Papageorgiou, S.G. (2018). Testamentary capacity assessment: Legal, medical, and neuropsychological issues. Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology, 31, 3-12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0891988717746508