Forensic Psychology

Forensic psychology is a field that combines the practice of psychology and
the law. Those who work in this field utilize psychological expertise as it
applies to the justice system. The word 'forensic' originates from the Latin
word 'forensis,' which means "the forum," or the court system of Ancient
Rome.
Overview
The American Board of Forensic Psychology describes this field as the
application of psychology to issues that involve the law and legal system. 1
Interest in forensic psychology has grown significantly in recent years.
Increasing numbers of graduate programs offer dual degrees in psychology
and law, while others provide specialization in forensic psychology.
Some psychologists hold a specialist degree in forensic psychology, but most

are licensed psychologists who hold either a Ph.D. or Psy.D. These
professionals may work in both criminal and civil law areas.
History
While forensic psychology is considered a rather new specialty area within
psychology, the field dates back to the earliest days in psychology's history.
Philosophers and scientists have long sought to understand what makes
people commit crimes, behave aggressively, or engage in antisocial
behaviors.
Forensic psychology is a relatively new specialty area. In fact, forensic
psychology was just officially recognized as a specialty area by the American
Psychological Association in 2001.2 Despite this, the field of forensic
psychology has roots that date back to Wilhelm Wundt's first psychology
lab in Leipzig, German.
Learn more about some of the major events and key figures in the history of
forensic psychology.
Today, forensic psychologists are not only interested in understanding why
such behaviors occur, but also in helping minimize and prevent such actions.
The field has experienced dramatic growth in recent years as more and more
students become interested in this applied branch of psychology. 2 Popular
movies, television programs, and books have helped popularize the field,
often depicting brilliant heroes who solve vicious crimes or track down killers
using psychology.
While depictions of forensic psychology in popular media are certainly

dramatic and attention-grabbing, these portrayals are not necessarily
accurate. That said, forensic psychologists do play an important role in the
criminal justice system. It can be an exciting career for students interested
in applying psychological principles to the legal system.
The History of Forensic Psychology
What Do They Do?

If you enjoy learning about the science of human behavior and the law, then
forensic psychology will probably interest you quite a bit. The field has
witnessed dramatic growth in recent years, as more and more students
become interested in this applied branch of psychology. However, forensic
psychology is about much more than the glamorized views portrayed in
television shows, movies, and books.
Common Job Roles

Some of the functions typically performed within forensic psychology
include:3
 Competency evaluations
 Sentencing recommendations
 Evaluations of the risk of reoffending
 Testimony as an expert witness
 Child custody evaluations
 Academic research on criminality
 Consult with law enforcement
 Treatment of criminal offenders
 Provide psychological services to inmates and offenders
 Trial consultants who help with jury selection, witness preparation, or legal
strategies
 Design correctional programs
Forensic psychology is defined as the intersection of psychology and the law,

but forensic psychologists can perform many roles, so this definition can
vary.
In many cases, people working in forensic psychology are not necessarily

"forensic psychologists." These individuals might be clinical
psychologists, school psychologists, neurologists, or counselors who lend
their psychological expertise to provide testimony, analysis, or
recommendations in legal or criminal cases.
Clinical Psychology Careers Training, Salary, andOutlook
For example, a clinical psychologist might provide mental health services

such as assessment, diagnosis, and treatment to individuals who have come
into contact with the criminal justice system. Clinicians might be asked to
determine if a suspected criminal has a mental illness, or they may be asked
to provide treatment to individuals who have substance abuse and addiction
issues.
Another example is that of a school psychologist. While people in this
profession typically work with children in school settings, a school
psychologist working in forensic psychology might evaluate children in
suspected abuse cases, help prepare children to give testimony in court, or
offer testimony in child custody disputes.
Distinguishing Features
So what exactly makes forensic psychology different from another specialty
area such as clinical psychology? Typically, the duties of a forensic
psychologist are fairly limited in terms of scope and duration. A forensic
psychologist is asked to perform a very specific duty in each individual case,
such as determining if a suspect is mentally competent to face charges.
Unlike the typical clinical setting where a client has voluntarily sought out
assistance or evaluation, a forensic psychologist usually deals with clients
who are not there of their own free will. This can make assessment,
diagnosis, and treatment much more difficult since some clients willfully
resist attempts at help.
Education and Training

Forensic psychology is not a common degree option, yet more and more
schools are offering it as a specialty. If you are interested in becoming a
forensic psychologist, you should take courses that focus on topics such as:
 Criminal psychology
 Social behavior
 Abnormal behavior
 Cognitive psychology
 Perception
 Drugs and psychopharmacology
 Law
 Criminal justice
If your school does offer coursework or a degree option in forensic

psychology, you can expect to tackle topics that include deviant behavior,
the psychology of criminal behavior, criminal risk assessment, domestic
violence, mental health social policy, juvenile criminal justice, and adult
offender treatment.
The growing popularity of the field has also led to an increase in the number
of master's level forensic psychology degrees. Many experts suggest that
such programs, while popular and appealing, have a disadvantage over
clinical, doctoral-level training.
Doctoral-level study in forensic psychology typically focuses on topics

including research methods, personality analysis, cognitive science,
psychology and the law, ethical and legal issues, assessment, and
treatment.
While there is no certification requirement for forensic psychologists,

becoming a licensed psychologist has professional advantages in terms of
establishing credibility and expertise.
Careers
While forensic psychology may not be all about solving crimes and getting
inside the minds of criminals, there are still plenty of challenges for forensic
psychologists. There are a number of different job options within the field of
forensic psychology.
For example, some forensic psychologists work directly in the criminal

justice system to assess, evaluate, and treat individuals who have
committed crimes or have been the victims of crimes. Other forensic
psychologists investigate cases of alleged child abuse, work with child
witnesses, evaluate individuals involved in child custody disputes, and
assess mental competency.
If you are interested in a field such as forensic or criminal psychology, you

might want to spend some time researching some of the exciting career
options in forensic psychology.
The degree you choose to pursue may depend somewhat on what you want
to do as a forensic psychologist, so figuring this out early on can be helpful
in planning your educational path.

Forensic Psychology

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Forensic Psychology

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Forensic Psychology

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

What are some common job roles in forensic psychology?

What distinguishes forensic psychology from clinical psychology?

Forensic psychology is a field that combines the practice of psychology and

Some psychologists hold a specialist degree in forensic psychology, but most

While depictions of forensic psychology in popular media are certainly

The History of Forensic Psychology

What Do They Do?

Common Job Roles

Forensic psychology is defined as the intersection of psychology and the law,

In many cases, people working in forensic psychology are not necessarily

For example, a clinical psychologist might provide mental health services

Education and Training

If your school does offer coursework or a degree option in forensic

Doctoral-level study in forensic psychology typically focuses on topics

While there is no certification requirement for forensic psychologists,

For example, some forensic psychologists work directly in the criminal

If you are interested in a field such as forensic or criminal psychology, you

You might also like

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.