Editorial.

Psychology, Public Policy, and Law focuses on the links between psychology as a science, relevant information derived from related disciplines as sciences, and public policy and law. It will publish articles that (1) critically evaluate the actual and potential contributions of psychology to public policy and legal issues, (2) assess the desirability of different public policy and legal alternatives in light of the scientific knowledge base in psychology, (3) articulate research needs that address public policy and legal issues for which there is currently insufficient theoretical and empirical knowledge, and (4) examine public policy and legal issues relating to the conduct of psychology and of related disciplines where relevant to psychology. The goals for the journal are to (1) provide a multidisciplinary forum for scholarship and interchange relevant to the mission of the journal, (2) provide a forum for the publications of comprehensive, scholarly articles that critically consider theoretical, conceptual, and doctrinal issues or that critically review the literature on topics relevant to the mission of the journal, and (3) provide a forum for the publication of comprehensive, scholarly articles that report the results of programs of research or large-scale empirical studies relevant to the mission of the journal. This particular issue provides a forum for critical discussion of the implications of using a social science amicus brief in court cases. It also demonstrates the opportunity that this journal will provide to social scientists to critically evaluate their colleagues' work when those colleagues attempt to offer their science and opinions in the legal or public policy arenas. Finally, this issue reflects the journal's desire to be a flexible forum for scholarly interchange. Rather than always publishing articles that are relatively independent of each other, the journal will also publish issues devoted to a single theme (as occurred in the first issue of this volume), and, as in the case of this issue, to interchange about one theme when it is appropriate for advancing the field. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)