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Forensic Psychologist Salary

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For centuries, psychologists were not allowed to testify in courts to help give expert opinions or be witnesses concerning criminals with mental disorders who were unable to give reliable testimony. In mid-20th century, the American legal system turned to psychiatrists when they required mental health expertise (Packer, 2008). However, the creation of the psychology field was not established until a landmark case, Jenkins v. United States in 1962, established that psychologists are able to testify as independent witnesses with expertise on mental disorders (Varela & Conroy, 2012). Forensic psychology is the interdisciplinary of law and psychology. A forensic psychologist commonly specializes in applying psychological knowledge to legal matters, …show more content…

Research shows that the median annual salary for psychologists in general is $70,700 and salaries for forensic psychologists of the top 10% earned more than $114,290 (“Forensic Psychology Salary: What You’ll Earn”, 2017). According to “Forensic Psychologist Salary” (see website: [ http://www.payscale.com/], forensic psychologists start at $60,000 annually and depending on the level of experience, the salary ranges from $60,000 to $118,000 (n.d.). The potential benefits of this career are the choice of working in private practice or in a public sector, the chance to serve the community, challenge and risk in dealing with a criminal justice field, high job satisfaction, and high salaries (“Forensic Psychology”, 2016). Other benefits for full-time forensic psychologists receive full health coverage, which includes health insurance, life insurance, or paid time off (“Forensic Psychology- Masters Degree & Salary Information”, 2017), and dental and vision coverage (“Forensic Psychologist Salary, n.d.). Career advancements for this field is education and experience. Experience in law enforcement, legal procedures, and computer science may also help with career advancement in this field (“Forensic Psychology Salary: What You’ll Earn, 2017). The forensic psychology field is a growing field. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, the employment of psychologists is expected to increase by 19% between 2014-2024, which is faster than the average of all occupations (2015). This field is a growing field and those with a doctoral degree have higher prospects of finding

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