FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY AND CRIMINAL LAW

Forensic Psychology and Criminal Law

Forensic Psychology and Criminal Law

Forensic Psychology

Forensic Psychology is the application of psychology to the criminal justice system. Many people confuse Forensic Psychology with forensic science. Although the two are closely related, there are many differences. The primary difference is that forensic psychologists delve into the vast psychological perspectives and apply them to criminal justice system. On the other hand, forensic psychologists frequently deal with legal issues, such as public policies, new laws, competency, and also whether a defendant was insane at the time a crime occurred. All of these issues weave together psychology and law topics and are essential to the discipline of Forensic Psychology.

Forensic Psychology knowledge is used in various forms, such as in treating mentally ill offenders, consulting with attorneys (e.g., on picking a jury), analyzing a criminal's mind and intent, and practicing within the civil arena. Individuals interested in pursuing a Forensic Psychology career would have take psychology and criminal justice courses at the core of their academic studies.

There are very limited numbers of academic institutions that specifically offer a Forensic Psychology degree. Clinical, social, cognitive, criminal investigative, and developmental psychology also help to prepare one for this specialty. A forensic psychologist may chose to solely focus his/her career on research, ranging anywhere from examination of eyewitness testimony to learning how to improve interrogation methods. Another form of Forensic Psychology work is public policy, in which researchers can help in the design of correctional facilities and prisons. More generally, Forensic Psychology covers territory between the traditional options of criminal justice (i.e., academic training, law enforcement, and corrections). There are many things you can do in the field of Forensic Psychology. Here are some examples of interesting areas: Clinical-Forensic Psychology Clinical-forensic psychology is the subfield that most people are familiar with, even though they aren't even aware of it. There are a variety of things to do with this area. Just like a clinical psychologist, clinical-forensic psychologists are mainly interested in assessing and treating people suffering from some form of mental illness. The difference is that the people being treated are also being assessed because they are somehow involved in the criminal justice system, mainly because of conviction for some offense. Most people in this subfield decide to make treatment and assessment the focus of their career and life. Offenders can be forcibly treated while in prisons, corrections facilities, as a requirement of parole/probation, or in a hospital. Alternatively, offenders could see a clinical-forensic psychologist who operates in private practice.

Developmental Psychology and the Law

Developmental psychologists working in the legal arena deal with many issues of the juvenile system and also work with the effects of divorce and separation on the children involved. They may also be highly involved in child custody cases and may be employed as expert witnesses in such cases Social Psychology and the Law Social Psychologists look at the effects of society on human behavior. Social psychologists in the legal field consult with attorneys, courts, and agencies on ...