Careers in Forensic Psychology

If you like solving mysteries, you might be the type of person to become a forensic psychologist. So, what is a forensic psychologist? It is a person who knows how to combine law and psychology to solve a crime or determine if a crime has been committed. Such individuals are trained in several branches of psychology and can use their skills to determine a person’s competency to stand trial, recommend effective sentencing, and answer legal questions about an accused person’s state of mind at the time a crime was committed.

Online Colleges with Degrees in Forensic Psychology:

The forensic psychologist has a unique obligation. He or she does not take sides, either for the defense or for the prosecution, but rather studies the case, conducts research, and asks questions that uncover the truth. He can use skillful psychological probing to determine not only if the answer to a question is true or false, but also whether the witnesses and the accused actually believe their answers to be true based on particular biases they may have. Basically, the forensic psychologist can “get inside” the defendant’s or witnesses’ heads to determine whether or not answers to questions might be motivated by something other than a desire to simply tell what happened.

In addition to working in a courtroom, forensic psychologists are responsible for conducting diagnostic assessments to determine whether a person is likely to be a repeat offender. They offer testimony on criminal responsibility such as drug dependence or psychological disorders that may have impacted the commission of a crime. They determine the risk versus the value of acquiring testimony from a child or from a sympathetic eyewitness.

Outside the courtroom, forensic psychologists work with at risk populations such as abuse victims and intercity youth. They also train law enforcement and health care workers to properly handle individuals—both victims and criminals—to avoid damaging or altering evidence that might be used to solve the crime.

In order to accomplish this challenging dance between psychology and law, a student of forensic psychology needs to study both law and behavioral science. Some of the courses needed for this include Behavior and Psychology, Criminal Behavior, Psychological Assessment Strategies, and Correctional Psychology. The student will also need numerous courses in criminal justice such as crime scene investigation and law enforcement techniques.

Jobs in the forensic psychology field are available through numerous agencies and organizations. For example, instead of working in a law office, one might work at a community health center, at a hospital, in a probation office, or in a victim assistance center.  The job market in this field is expected to continue to expand in coming years as more courtrooms and agencies learn to recognize the value of the combination of law and psychology in the investigative process.