the scientific study of the mind and the related behavior
Through Psychology, there is the scientific study of the mind and the related behavior. It is a broad field that includes many sub-disciplines like health, cognitive process, clinical, social behavior, and human development. On the other hand, the law is a system of rules formulated and enforced by the government to regulate behavior. Through statute, an individual in a state becomes constrained in the manner of conduct, as stated by the will of the country. The combination of the two brings up another definition. Ogloff and Finkelman (1999) postulated that the field is “the scientific study of the effect the law has on people and the effect people have on the law.” The development of movies tries to bring up psychology and law factors that affect society. One example of a film on Netflix is ‘Unbelievable.’
The Netflix unlimited series focuses ion airing a genre filled with drama. Micheal Chabon, Susannah Grant, and Ayelet Waldman co-created a series about rape in Washington and Colorado. Released on September 13, 2019, the miniseries through writers T. Christian Miller and Ken Armstrong rooted its story from a 2015 news article “An unbelievable story of Rape.” The drama film of 2008-2011 draws the unbelievable from Maria, a teenager, who gets charged with lying about rape.
The film tries to show the process of finding the truth concerning what transpired during the ordeal. Trough the two detectives, a proper step by step evaluation of the act is investigated. This unlimited series is essential in describing the psychology and law since rape is a psychological issue, and a legislation process takes place.
The eight episodes of the unlimited series start in Lynwood Washington, dated August 2008. The main character, Marie Adler, is seen in a depressed and traumatized state. She tries to find refuge by getting consolation from her former foster mother, Judith. The arrival of a uniformed police officer prompts the pouring of questions whose answers are taken down in a report. The event follows the arrival of two useful detectives, Parker and Pruitt, who take over the investigation. The two detectives make Marie Adler retell the ordeal from multiple angles. Since the trial involved a medical examination, she goes to a hospital where she submits an evidence collection and physical analysis followed by a retelling of the story. While Marie Adler is still in the hospital, the police try to find, locate, and collect any evidence in her apartment. They end up having little recovery. The current foster mother of Marie, Coleen, assists Marie in the process of moving to a new house within the same complex.
Evidence, following the mysterious occurrence, starts to unveil when the former foster mother talks to detective parker. She tells Parker that previously, Marie was engaged in “attention-seeking behavior”. She adds by expressing her worries in a mix match of the occurrence and Marie’s psychological condition. The concerns raised by the former foster mother prompts the two detectives to conclude that the report posted by Marie is untrue. Such a conclusion does not come well to Marie. The same year, detective parker closes Marie’s case. The decision to close the case of 18-year-old Marie caused a loss of trust from her counselors and friends. Since then, Marie has had a problem concentrating at work. Also, the counselors designed to help her start to impose more strict curfew together with other measures to monitor her movements. Efforts to visit her current foster mother turn out futile as it is said that it is not good for the two to be alone. The effect of social media overwhelms Marie back in Washington. Her need for a friend who would help her through her condition avails Connor for support. The police also charge her with making false reports causing additional worries. Where there is a will, there is away. Marie secures help from a public defender Donald Hughes. The public defender attacks the police by saying that police never file charges in such a case and seeks a plea bargain.
In the state of Colorado, another ordeal of the same kind arises. This brings detective Karen Duvall into the scene. The detective learns of the person who committed sexual assault on Amber Stevenson. In 2011, the husband of Karen informed her of a similar event and suggested that Grace Rasmussen be summoned to assist. Detective Grace conducts surveillance of the crime scene, and her observation suggests a culprit having a backpack. The return of Grace to Colorado brings a determination of the innocence of the culprit. The experience of these two detectives come after holding and conducting tough investigations of the same kind. They decide to join hands in determining the doer of the action on Marie.
The two detectives start by reviewing six years of sexual assault cases in Colorado. They also contacted the detectives in charge of the cases for a robust understanding of the conditions of the crime. By going through the cases, they find web connections of crimes and can connect them. In one scenario, Duvall finds a video that discloses a rapist in Rasmussen’s case in Aurora.
A news report of a woman raped in Kirkland, rhyming that of Marie came when the three, Marie, Colleen, and AI had a visit. As Duvall and Rasmussen conduct their investigation, the rapist strikes again in a Denver suburb. Marie finds herself in another ordeal where she yells at Connor in front of customers prompting her to quit. Colleen decides to call the detectives involved in the rape case observed in the news report. She learns from Pruitt’s reply that Marie’s case was a false report. Amer, on the other hand, finds it hard to cope and engages in atypical behavior such as sex with strangers. Marie gets disgusted with the probation restrictions on her activities, and this makes her drink, smoke marijuana, and return to her apartment after curfew; thus, she is removed from her program.
A session with a therapist depicts how Marie hates the judicial system. She is asked what she could do differently if the scene repeated, and she answers that she would lie sooner and forcefully to stay out of the judicial system. She adds that the people in authority dislike the truth.
In 2011, a breakthrough in rape cases was found. The police arrest the McCarthy brothers in Colorado. Also, Rasmussen finds pictures of Marie possessed by McCarthy and emails them to Parker. Information on the arrest of Cris McCarthy, who is sentenced to 327 years of imprisonment, comes to Marie. At the end of it all, Marie gets a 150000dollars compensation and apology from the two detectives.
This Netflix series is essential in depicting the aspect of psychology and law. From the film, it is clear how young girls like Marie and Amber pass through a myriad of challenges as the judicial system sits with assumptions. Marie loses her job and gets into debt as Amber gets involved in sexual intercourse with strangers. It is essential to follow the right order in dealing with major crimes such as sexual assault. From the series, there is much to learn to provide psychological support to those experiencing such scenarios.