Forensic Psychology Career

In forensic science, there are many jobs people can go into. In criminal you can be a crime investigator or work behind the scenes in the lab. A crime investigator analyzes the crime

To begin with, what type of jobs come to mind when you hear Criminal Justice? Most may say police officer, correctional officer or even judge but there are more intricate careers when dealing with the law. Psychology plays a major part in the Criminal Justice field. Psychology deals with the mind and behavior but it gets more complex when you involve law. There are four discrete roles of Psychology when discussing the law which are applied scientist, basic scientist, policy evaluator, and advocate. They all have important roles in order to complete the mission of case.

Ever since I was little I was extremely observant of the people surrounding me. I would watch and study their behaviors, always trying to figure out their thoughts and emotions. Recently I have realized that I could put my childhood play into a real life paying job, only instead of my peers I would get to study criminals. I don’t know much about Forensic Psychology other than the fact that I must achieve a PsyD, and I would be assigned different cities to live and work in. I want to learn about what is necessary for me to get the job, what the pay is, and what is required of me once I get the position.

Another myth perpetuated by common portrayals of forensic psychology in the criminal drama programs on TV, which gives the impression that forensic psychologist only operate in jails or on crime scene investigations. Most forensic psychologist are not limited to working at Jails/prisons unless they are forensic psychologist with special emphasis on police and criminal psychology, but generally speaking these individuals can fit in just about any institutions that involves people. “Forensic psychologists are employed in a variety of settings including state forensic hospitals, court clinics, mental health centers, jails, prisons, and juvenile treatment centers. Forensic psychologists can also work independently in private practice, and some are employed primarily as researchers in university or mental health settings” Bottoms et al. (2004). As a result of the diverse nature and flexibility of Forensic psychology these individuals are situated in a large number of organizations and institutions. Forensic Psychologist are trained to deal with a variety of issues as it relates to civil and criminal cognitions, therefore they can be placed in institutions associated with these

In order to effectively work in this area, Forensic psychologists must know the court’s expectations.They must be credible, competent, and concise being able to explain to the court how they arrived at their

As a child, if you asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up, and I answered a lawyer undoubtingly. Once my parents denied signing any of my financial aid forms for school, all of my optimism for that dream went downhill. One thing that has always been consistent is my love for fighting for what is right for the people. My passion for the law and people aided my decision to join the military. Upon my retirement from the military, I was compelled to enroll in the Criminal Justice program at Saint Leo University. After attending a few courses, I deliberated on becoming a forensic psychologist. I believed that becoming a forensic psychologist would allow me to be involved in legal cases while being the eyes and the ears of the courtroom. As time went on I pondered, if I would be helping people or the court system. Now, my interest in the subfields of psychology lies between forensics and counseling. I am not as knowledgeable in either area, so I plan on taking a course in each class to see what feels right. Being in the military all these years, have made me desire to do what my instincts say I was born to do.

Landrum, R. E., & Davis, S. F. (2014). The Psychology Major: Career Options and Strategies

1). Forensic Psychology is the application of the theories of psychology to law and the legal system. Issues of violence and its impact on individuals and/or groups delineate the main and central concerns in Forensics within the adult, juvenile, civil, and family domains. Forensic psychologists provide advice to legislators, judges, correctional officers, lawyers, and the police. They are called upon, for example, to serve as an expert witness, diagnose and treat incarcerated and probationed offenders, and screen and evaluate personnel in the law enforcement and judicial systems. Forensics encompasses a wide range of academic orientation. Synonyms for Forensic psychologists include criminal psychologist,

In order to understand how this may be done, allow me to define Forensic Psychology. You see forensic psychology is the practice of psychology related to the legal system. This involves relationships with federal, local, and state law enforcement agencies; attorneys and the court; corrections and treatment facilities; and working with people whose behavior or situation leads them into involvement with the courts.

My career path consists of fulfilling all the requirements to become a forensic psychologist. There are only a small number of graduate schools that offer programs in forensic psychology. The graduate schools that specifically caught my interest are Argosy University, American School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University, Washington, DC, and Nova Southeastern University. One factor that has been consistent to my top choices is the universities being APA accredited. Argosy University is my top choice because it offers of a Master’s program in forensic psychology and a Doctorate’s program in clinical psychology.

My career goal is to work in the Los Angeles Police Department as part of their Forensics team. I want to do more than simply dig into the minds of criminals. I want to be active; take fingerprints, DNA samples, and experience the crime scene. Most of this is taught through direct training from the department but I feel that having a degree in Forensic Psychology

Are also matters that are handled from someone working in the forensics of psychology. Becoming a successful forensic psychologist requires at least the solid clinical psychology training and experience. Firm grounding in scientific theory and empirical research “understanding of scientific validity, research design, statistics, and testing” critical thinking skills thorough knowledge of social and cultural issues legal knowledge “including mental health law, case law, and courtroom procedures” excellent writing skills strong oral presentation skills and the ability to maintain one's composure under stress. Forensic Psychologists apply psychology to criminal justice. Although similar in some aspects, forensic psychology is different than forensic science.

By definition in the Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychologists, ‘psychologist’ refers to persons who, in accordance with the American Psychological Association (APA) or state registration/licensure, practice psychology in a professional capacity. A ‘forensic psychology’ is the act of working, professionally, as a ‘psychological expert’ within the court system. Finally, a ‘forensic psychologist’ is the aforementioned psychologist working in the also defined field of forensic psychology (Committee on Ethical Guidelines for Forensic Psychology, 1991, p. 657).

My interest in forensic psychology goes back into my early elementary years. As a child, my main dream was to become a profiler or a crime scene detective. I loved reading crime books and watching shows about it. I wanted to be like the people I read in those books and the people I saw on television. However, when I got to college, my mindset changed, but not for long. During my freshman year, I was a biology major wanting to be a Veterinarian. My passion at that time in my life was to help animals.

A Forensic Psychologist focuses on “why people do bad things, why they commit crimes, lie to police officers, and treat their children abusively” (AllPsychologyCareers). There is this fascination with criminals and the psychopathy behind their actions and thoughts. According to All Psychology Careers, this field of study focuses on all types of research in psychology including clinical, developmental, social, clinical, behavioral and neuropsychological to blend together ideas and studies to apply to criminal action. The major focus of forensic psychologist is criminology and law because there needs to be a broad understanding of how the judicial system works and what statutes apply in what states. This type of work can be applied in many different settings such as prisons, correctional facilities, court systems, government agencies, parole boards and research.