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Forensic Psychology Practice

Television has done a great job of making forensic psychology look like an exciting and glamorous job. Early depictions made it seem like forensic psychologists were borderline psychics who had moments of intuition or insight that would reveal key clues to tracking down criminals. More recent characterizations focus on the psychology behind criminal behavior, presenting a more accurate depiction of profiling as relying on years of psychological research and study. However, there is much more to completing a forensic psychology graduate program than learning to profile criminals.

The daily work of most forensic psychologists has little to do with catching criminals. They employ psychology techniques on behalf of courts, prisons, and law enforcement agencies in more mundane ways. This includes doing psychological evaluations of employees and offering counseling to those working in the criminal justice field. Many forensic psychologists never interact with criminals at all.

Some forensic psychologists are called upon to evaluate suspects or prisoners. These evaluations can impact sentencing or parole hearings. They may also serve as expert witnesses in court cases, especially in family court cases involving custody or civil cases where plaintiffs are seeking damages for emotional suffering. Another group of psychologists offers counseling to victims of crimes or to prisoners and paroles. Still others administer programs to help communities with high crime rates or to directly assist at risk populations.