Throughout my educational journey, my interest and attention was always captivated by classes which had even the slightest tendency towards Forensic Psychology. Yet, my passion remained unconscious until I took a class of Criminal Law in Business, class which seemed to hold the answer for the consuming question “What am I going to study at University?” From there, I began putting the puzzle pieces together, determined to find the source of the spark- Law, Criminology, Forensic Science all seemed to bring me closer to the right one for me: Forensic Psychology. Reading the first few lines of the field description was enough to assure me that there is no other subject could fascinate, intrigue and motivate me to give by best to apart from this. I became infatuated with the evidence that evil in a human being can be so incandescent, transparent and mischievous that it could bring down any barrier of normality. I became absorbed by its power to grow into the mind and punish the
Forensic science has been a subject I have developed a keen interest of developing my knowledge in. The interest first surfaced in my childhood as I was drawn to reading novels based on crime investigations and conspiracy, later developing into watching dramas and documentaries based around the same genres such as NCIS and Dexter. These influences became the driving factor for my fascination and curiosity surrounding the solving of crimes, using biological and psychological sciences, leading me to my passion to study this at degree level and become a crime scene investigator.
Hello, My Name is Danielle Odom and I am a freshman at Valdosta State University. I want to be a forensic psychologist. For starters, I have always known that I wanted to do something that dealt with psychology due to my family’s “mental” state. It was not until my 11th grade year that I realized I had a passion for forensic psychology. There are a multitude of reasons why I want to enter into this career. Aside from the fact that forensic psychologists are financially taken care of, they also are able to get to the root of major crimes by talking to convicted felons and seeing why they committed the crime, this very sentence alone is the main reason why I want to enter into this field. Forensic psychologists are able to ask questions like:
The field of Criminal Justice has so many different career paths that anyone can succeed in and it’s for that reason I have picked the Forensic Science path to explore. There are a number of reasons why I have chosen to explore and get an education in this career. The specialization of Forensic Science within the Criminal Justice is right for me because I feel that families should have closure, I feel that people who don’t deserve to be in prison should have a fair trial, I like watching crime shows all the time, and last but not least it’s a more challenging field of work and I love
This paper discusses the different roles that are taken on by a forensic psychologist, and how those roles interact and affect each other and how the psychologist is about to do his/her job. It looks briefly at the history of the field. We discuss the forensic psychologist as the consultant, the therapist, the researcher, as well as the expert witness. This paper also discusses predicting dangerousness and whether or not an expert can predict dangerousness. Finally we look at conflicting roles and ethics in the field.
Violence and crime have been splattered on the pages of history for centuries. Sadly, however, they will be part of the future as well. Is being a police officer or investigator as cool as they make it seem on television? Criminal Minds is just one of the many investigative television shows that keep its audience pondering over the reality of crimes. "Criminal Minds portrays the psychologist as having a more active role than they really do," explained Marc T. Zucker, academic chair of the undergraduate School of Criminal Justice at Kaplan University, in one article. "We all love the thrill of the chase and arrest, however, psychologists don 't typically accompany officers in the apprehension of suspects. Still as
of Forensics. What interest me the most about this job was my mom by her being in the
Shows like “Criminal Minds” have made the forensics psychologist field progress. What do forensic psychologist do? “Forensic psychologist is the application of the science and profession of psychology to questions and issues relating to law and the legal system.” (An Overview of Forensic Psychology, 2014)The career I want to engage in is forensic psychologist but first you have to learn the work environment, the education, the earnings, the outlook, the pros, and the cons. “With numerous portrayals in books, movies and television programs, interest in forensic psychology has grown significantly in recent years.” (An Overview of Forensic Psychology, 2014)
My career choice is a Forensic Psychologist. Since I first figured what I wanted to be when I grew up, it either involved science, medicine, and law. I went from Surgeon to Scientist then to Lawyer. It always somehow involved the criminal field. So, I did more research on what I could assemble and I came to the conclusion that being a Forensic Psychologist was the best route for me to take. In my paper, I will be telling you more in depth information about my career choice, how my thoughts of my career choice relate to the information of my career, my plan to get to this career, and furthermore my future.
When thinking about a career path after conducting my research in the various fields available in the area of psychology, I have taken an interest in becoming a Marriage and Family Therapist. This is partly due to my exposure to working alongside with clinicians in community based settings, particularly family’s that have been affected one way or another by county systems such as the Department of Children and Family Services and Department of Probation. After attaining direct experience working with families, I am interested in working in upper management supervising other clinicians, offering support and guidance with regards to their families. I have some interest in forensic psychology but have not obtained enough information on the field in order to determine if it is area that I would like to pursue.
In recent years, Forensic Psychology has grown to be a very fascinating and popular sub discipline of psychology. If you are a frequent watcher of television programs like; CSI, Criminal Minds, Cracker or Law and Order, you perhaps think you have the ideal perception of who a forensic psychologists is and what their job description entails based on these shows. Well, you might just need to double take. Maybe you have acquired a trick or two on how to mask or disguise crimes that you have committed or will commit, but for the greater part, you may have some huge misconceptions about Forensic psychologists. The reality is that these television programs are idealistic and the truth about these individuals is much more complex and challenging.
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.
As I make my way through the college experience, it is crucial that I take advantage of all opportunities available to me, especially within my desired field. Therefore, as a criminal justice major I would be most interested in becoming involved in activities such as when Lt. Ross Dillingham visited a victimology class. Lieutenant Ross Dillingham had the students look through unsolved homicide cases and provide their input. The students were able to review autopsy reports, crime scene photographs, police reports, and witness accounts that allowed them to have firsthand experience with the criminal justice system. Considering my desired career choice, a homicide detective or a forensic analysis, an experience such as this one would greatly benefit me. I would be able to learn the importance of thorough investigation and the need for accurate police reports.
Ilona took all of the Criminal Justice courses offered by me at GCC and earned superior grades in all of them. The taken courses were focused on the introduction to Criminal Justice, Constitutional Law, and Substantive Criminal Law. Based on Ilona’s outstanding grades, her positively active class participation, and her determination for success, I would rate her academic performance in each of my courses as notably exceptional.
Salary is approximately $45,000 at the lower end of the education and experience and as high as $77,000. Salaries vary widely depending on the type of workplace with nonprofit organizations paying the lower salaries and with state and local governments paying the highest annual amounts. Forensic psychology are experiencing rapid growth in a number of settings. Jobs are available with child welfare agencies, state forensic units, mental health facilities, and community mental health agencies. There is also a opportunity of operating as a private practice providing psychotherapy or as a consultant. Government agencies offer