Battered woman syndrome as a legal defense : history, effectiveness and implications / Brenda L. Russell.

Jefferson, N.C. : McFarland & Co., [2010], ©2010.

viii, 248 pages ; 23 cm

Includes bibliographical references and index.

A general description of the problem -- A historical analysis of legal responses to battering -- Theories related to domestic violence: abusers and abused -- Perceptions of battered women: myth v. reality -- The diversity of battered women: myth v. reality -- The battered woman syndrome: the good, the bad and the alternatives -- When women fight back and kill their abusers: a realistic appraisal of danger or pathology? -- The law of self-defense -- The evolution of expert testimony of the battered woman syndrome in the courtroom -- The admissibility of evidence: understanding legal standards -- Theories of jury decision making: the role of prior beliefs and social cognition -- The battered woman syndrome and social cognition: creating a stereotype or effectively replacing misconceptions? -- Syndrome or excuse: a critical analysis of the use of the syndrome -- Redefining the future of the syndrome.