Dr. David DeMatteo presented his Presidential address “AP-LS and the Field of Psychology-Law: A Blueprint for the Future” at the 2017 Annual American Psychology-Law Society meeting in Seattle. He discusses the development of AP-LS, examine the most pressing issues facing AP-LS and the psychology-law field, and discuss an agenda for moving the field and our organization forward.
About David DeMatteo
Professor DeMatteo’s research interests include psychopathic personality, forensic mental health assessment, offender diversion, and drug-involved criminal offenders. His research has been funded by several federal agencies, state agencies, and private foundations, including the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Pennsylvania Department of Health, Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, Pennsylvania Department of Welfare, Laura and John Arnold Foundation, and the American Psychology-Law Society. Professor DeMatteo received the 2013 Pennsylvania Forensic Rights and Treatment Conference Recognition Award in recognition of his research on diversion programs for drug-involved and mentally ill offenders.
Professor DeMatteo has published more than 90 articles and book chapters and seven books in his areas of interest. He is an associate editor for Law and Human Behavior, on the editorial boards of more than 10 journals, and a reviewer for more than 30 scientific journals. He has also given more than 150 conference presentations.
In addition to serving two terms as an American Psychological Association Council Representative for the American Psychology-Law Society (APA Division 41), Dr. DeMatteo was chair of the APA’s Committee on Legal Issues in 2011. He is a fellow of APA, a fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Psychology, and board certified in forensic psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology. He was elected president of the American Psychology-Law Society (APA Division 41) in 2016.
He received his BA in psychology from Rutgers University, his MA and PhD in Clinical Psychology from MCP Hahnemann University, and his JD, magna cum laude, from the Villanova University School of Law. He was also the executive editor of the Villanova Law Review and a member of the Order of the Coif.
Dr. DeMatteo is licensed as a psychologist in Pennsylvania, where he conducts forensic mental health assessments of juveniles and adults on a variety of legal issues.
