What Is a Forensic Psychologist?
The general public has developed a fascination with the art of forensic psychology. However, what forensic psychology is, or more importantly what it is not, is not always known to many people.
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What is Forensic Psychology?
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Forensic psychology applies the discipline of psychology to the field of criminal justice and to the justice system. However, to different people, that statement means different things, and as a science, forensic psychology covers a wide array of possibilities.
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The media, both news and fiction, has dramatized the forensic psychologist into an almost Sherlock Holmes type of figure. While it is true that a large part of forensic psychology deals with criminals such as serial and mass murderers, these images can be misleading to many people who may think that a forensic psychologist deals only with the bizarre and the dangerous.
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Responsibilities
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A forensic psychologist, depending on the area in which they're employed and their personal specialties, may investigate a variety of areas. There are forensic psychologists who psychologically profile different types of criminals and attempt to help police piece together these individuals' motives. There are also forensic psychologists who determine the mental capacity of captured offenders, and others who help determine public policy as it relates to their profession.
How Do You Become a Forensic Psychologist?
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While there are only a few institutions that offer degrees specifically in forensic psychology, there are certain courses that will prepare someone for this position. Classes heavy on social, cognitive, abnormal and developmental psychology are half of the package. Other classes that you should look into are criminal law, substantive law and a variety of other criminal justice courses.
Narrowing the Field
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The field of forensic psychology is very broad. An individual who wants to pursue a career in this field should decide what her area of interest is, and then prepare for it. Whether that area is researching methods to improve interrogation, assessing mental competency or providing insight into the mind of a criminal, each area has a different set of criteria.
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