Education & Career Trends: October 13
Curated by the Knowledge Team of ICS Career GPS
- Excerpts are taken from an article published on verywellmind.com.
Forensic psychology has become one of the most popular subfields of psychology in recent years. Increasing numbers of students express interest in this field of study, yet many are not quite sure what they need to do to pursue a career in this area. If you have an interest in psychology as well as the law and criminal justice, then this is an area that certainly might interest you.
So how do you get started in forensic psychology? What topics do you need to study in school, how do you find a job in the field, and what do forensic psychologists do?
What Is Forensic Psychology?
Essentially, forensic psychology involves applying psychology to the field of criminal investigation and the law. Forensic psychologists utilise their knowledge of psychological principles and use it to understand different aspects of the legal system. This sometimes involves conducting evaluations of people in the court system, performing psychotherapy with victims of crimes, evaluating witnesses, and even providing testimony in civil and criminal trials.
Why Is Forensic Psychology Such a Fast-Growing Career?
So what explains the rapid growth in this particular field?
Forensic psychology has grown phenomenally in popularity in recent years, partly due to sensationalised portrayals of the field in movies and television, which unfortunately are not always accurate.
Forensic psychologists are often depicted as criminal profilers who are able to almost psychically deduce a killer’s next move. In reality, these professionals practice psychology as a science within the criminal justice system and civil courts.
The Duties of a Forensic Psychologist
Forensic psychologists are often involved in both criminal and civil matters. A few examples include:
- Custody disputes
- Evaluate insurance claims
- Offer testimony in civil lawsuits
- Provide psychotherapy services in family courts
- Perform child custody evaluations
- Investigate reports of child abuse
- Conduct visitation risk assessments.
Those working in the civil courts often assess competency, provide second opinions, and provide psychotherapy to crime victims. Professionals working in the criminal courts conduct evaluations of mental competency, work with child witnesses, and provide an assessment of juvenile and adult offenders.
Type of Degree Forensic Psychologists Need
Currently, there is no single accepted training model for forensic psychologists. In most cases, however, forensic psychologists need a doctoral degree in psychology, usually in clinical or counselling psychology. In most cases, people interested in this field start by earning a Ph.D. or Psy.D. in clinical psychology before earning some type of postdoctoral training and specialisation in forensic psychology.
Is a Career In Forensic Psychology Right for You?
Before you decide on a career in forensic psychology, there are a few factors you should consider. Do you enjoy working with others? Forensic psychologists usually work with a team of other professionals in addition to working directly with clients or criminal offenders. Do you enjoy challenging problems? In most situations, people are experiencing problems that cannot be easily or quickly resolved.
In addition to these qualities, experts have suggested that forensic psychologists must have solid legal knowledge, understand how psychology and the law intersect and interact, have specialised training in clinical forensic psychology, and have a background in the ethical issues with forensic psychology.
Forensic psychologists need patience, creativity, and commitment. Are you interested in studying both law and psychology? Students who enjoy both subjects may find that forensic psychology is the perfect career choice.
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(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the article mentioned above are those of the author(s). They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of ICS Career GPS or its staff.)
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