Careers in Criminal Psychology
Criminal psychology, also called forensic psychology, is a type of legal and law enforcement consultation usually practiced by experienced clinical psychologists. These psychologists evaluate any mental and emotional factors that may affect the competency and responsibility of an accused person or someone making criminal accusations. Many criminal psychologists specialize in a specific area, such as child psychology.
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Basic Job Description
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Criminal psychologists evaluate competency and determine the presence of mental illness or severe emotional disturbance. They investigate possible false confessions, as well as any claims that a confession was coerced.
Types
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Specialized areas of criminal psychology include discrimination cases, medical issues and violent crime, among many others.
Features
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Most criminal psychologists work in private practice and provide consulting services to attorneys and law enforcement agencies. They may write reports on their findings and testify in court. Some do research at colleges and universities.
Potential
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Experienced criminal psychologists have additional opportunities in their careers. Some, for example, help design correctional facilities to provide the best environment for rehabilitation. Others work with law enforcement agencies to craft psychological profiles of suspects and defendants, as well as criminals who have not yet been identified.
Considerations
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People interested in a career in criminal psychology must complete a minimum of a bachelor's degree in criminal justice along with a minor in psychology, or an emphasis in criminal psychology. Most criminal psychologists, however, complete a doctorate degree in clinical or forensic psychology along with a program in criminal justice.
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