Becoming a Forensic Psychologist
A forensic psychologist is a legal and scientific expert who uses psychological concepts to help with criminal and civil justice cases. They look at the links between behavior and the law to determine why people break the law and how to spot mental traits that can make someone act criminally.
In the past, forensic psychology wasn’t a field of study. It’s been the subject of many famous movies, books, and TV shows. Detectives and regular people have always been interested in how criminal minds work.
Still, it wasn’t until this century that forensic psychology was created as a field to study criminal motivations and work to treat offenders successfully.
Duties Performed By a Forensic Psychologist
People in this field of forensic psychologist may work with various people and do various jobs, depending on their specialty. Here are some examples of what they had to do in their different roles:
Attorneys
When dealing with lawyers, a forensic psychologist might:
- Look at the suing parties.
- Act as a witness for experts
- Help someone with their mental health by giving them advice.
- Check to see if a suspect is fit to stand trial.
Police or other investigators
If a forensic psychologist works with cops or investigators, they might:
- Check out the crime scene.
- Make images of criminals.
- Help figure out what a suspect did.
Juries
If a forensic psychologist works with judges in court, they might:
- Help choose the jurors.
- Tell the jury about any psychological issues that are connected to the case.
- Look at how jurors behave.
Inmates
Someone who works as a forensic psychologist with prisoners might:
- Give treatment for rehabilitation.
- Check new prisoners to see how likely they are to be violent.
- Hold counseling meetings for prisoners in groups.
- Check on inmates and make suggestions about how ready they are for freedom.
Common Duties Performed
Here are some of the most common things a forensic psychologist does for a living: These are
- Help people in jail get therapy and evaluations as part of your job.
- Help the court system by giving proof and expert testimony.
- Check the mental health of people who are facing illegal charges.
- Look at the mental harm that people involved in a case have been through.
- Do study to improve what is known about psychological principles and how they are used in the justice system.
Skills Requirement for a Forensic Psychologist
Knowing what skills you will need to be a successful forensic psychologist before you apply is essential. These can be both hard skills, like analyzing data, and soft skills, like communicating and understanding other people.
Communication Skills
Part of the job requires to always deal with lawyers, judges, clients, and counselors. So, they need to be good at talking to people and ensuring their message fits the person they are talking to.
There are a lot of forensic psychologists who also testify as experts in criminal cases. They often testify about why they think a crime happened or whether they think a suspect is likely to have done the crimes in question.
A forensic psychologist could affect how a criminal is sentenced. Because of these effects, the conversation must be straightforward and quick.
Listen and Critical Thinking Skills
Forensic psychologists need to be able to listen and think critically, even when they are stressed. Part of the job is constantly finding solutions to problems and looking at things objectively. Many people can be affected by the forensic team’s choices in real life, which is why it’s so important to listen, think, and process information well.
Empathy
Professionals in this field deal with scary crimes that impact the people around them. A vital skill that helps forensic psychologists do their best is having empathy for victims and people involved in the case.
Data Analysis
In forensic psychology, you look at facts and statistics to conclude what makes sense for the case you are looking into. Forensic psychologists need to be able to analyze data accurately.
Besides data, forensic psychologists also have to look at physical proof and the condition of a crime scene to better understand the crime and how the person who did it was feeling.
People can often figure out who did something terrible by looking at the evidence or even the lack of proof at a crime scene. Then, this can be used to get a shorter list of possible culprits.
Research
Most of the time, research is a big part of a job in forensic psychology. A lot of the time, forensic psychologists will look at and discuss the work of other experts and their own.
They might look at thieves and the crimes they commit to see what kinds of criminals have certain traits. For these jobs, you might have to talk to criminals, their families, and victims.
Steps to Become a Forensic Psychologist
The steps below can help you get ready for a job as a forensic psychologist:
Get a Bachelor’s Level Degree.
You need to build a background in schooling before you can get a graduate degree in psychology. You could get ready for a higher degree with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, sociology, criminal justice, criminology, or another subject.
Usually, to work as a criminal psychologist, you need at least a bachelor’s degree. You could also add a minor or focus to your degree to learn more about specific areas, like forensics or legal psychology.
Get Advanced Degree
For some jobs in forensic psychology, you don’t need a graduate degree, but many companies would rather have someone with one. It is possible to get a Master of Arts in Forensic Psychology at some schools and a Master of Arts in Psychology with a focus in forensic psychology at others.
Also, you can work while getting your graduate degree because some programs and courses are online. You might also want to get a Ph.D. in psychology to become a licensed professional psychologist.
Take the Test for a License.
Find out your state’s standards to get your psychology license, and then finish any remaining steps. Aside from having a doctorate, most states require you to do a certain amount of supervised clinical hours and pass specific tests.
You may get these hours through a clinical job while getting your degree, but many states also require a certain number of hours after graduation.
Get Some Professional Experience.
Getting work experience in an entry-level position can help you advance your career and become a forensic psychologist. You can apply to be a special agent in psychology and therapy for the Federal Bureau of Investigation if you have at least a bachelor’s degree.
You might also be able to get a job as a behavioral health expert or a forensic program associate. In some undergraduate or graduate schools, you may be able to intern to help you learn.
Credential Advancement
Getting licensed in forensic psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology can help you get hired as a forensic psychologist. There is a specialty board certification in criminal psychology from the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP).
Most companies don’t need you to do this, but it shows that you know the standards for your job and can help you stand out from other applicants.
You must meet the ABPP’s standards to get this certification. After that, you can take the written and speaking exams, which will last three hours.
Job Titles in Forensic Psychology
A forensic psychologist can work in different settings. These are
Besides these, forensic psychologists also work in:
Crime Scene & Laboratory
Some forensic psychologists are critical to criminal investigations. They look at crime scenes and data to determine what a criminal did and how they did it. Often, they switch between working in a lab, a crime scene, and a courtroom.
Law Enforcement Setting
Not only do forensic psychologists make profiles of criminals, but they also help the police hire, train, and grade officers. They might work for a company or as a temporary expert appointed by a company.
Education Setting
Professional forensic psychologists are hired to teach kids and adults about the risks of sexual abuse, domestic violence, and other health and safety threats.
Government agency
Forensic psychologists can work for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). They are hired to make basic working profiles of killers and other crooks by looking at what they have done in the past.
Courtroom Setting
Professional Forensic Psychologist often play essential roles in courtrooms, like giving testimony, because they know much about how people behave and how criminal minds work. This is because lawyers can “read” people through their movements and body language, which is another way they use their specialties.
Child Law Setting
These psychologists may choose to specialize in child law and look into reports of child abuse. They are often asked to help with child custody cases, where they talk to both parents and the child(ren) separately to help make the best choice for the whole family.
Mental Health
People who work as professional forensic psychologists often deal with people who have a mental illness that makes them act in extraordinary ways. These people often work in jails and mental hospitals, especially ones with a criminal ward, in addition to working with the court system.
They work at rehabilitation centers, where they examine and make treatment plans for people who have been convicted of crimes.
Other Job Titles For Forensic Psychologist
- Criminologist
- Forensic scientist
- Correctional psychologist
- Jury consultant
- Testing psychologist
- Special agent expert: psychology/counseling
- Psychologist
- Forensic psychologist
- Forensic clinician
- Forensic evaluation
- Clinical psychologist
- Criminal psychologist
- Detective
- Clinical director
Conclusion
Forensic psychology can be a helpful tool when trying to figure out who did something wrong. People working in this area can often help narrow down the list of suspects or give a reason for a crime. One of the most important things that could help convict a criminal is the evidence of a well-known and respected forensic psychologist.
One meaningful way to stop crime is through the area of forensic psychology. Criminals may need help becoming law-abiding citizens, so those working in this area may be asked to support their rehabilitation. This kind of research can also help figure out what kinds of people are likely to commit crimes before they do.
