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Essay on Forensic Psychology
Forensic psychology is the application of psychology to the criminal and civil justice systems. Many people confuse Forensic Psychology with forensic science. Although the two are closely related, there are many differences. The primary difference is that while forensic scientists are in the business of applying the chemical and biological sciences to law enforcement, national security, defense, or intelligence work, forensic psychologists delve into the psychological perspectives of human behavior and apply them to the legal systems.
Forensic Psychology knowledge is used in various forms, such as in treating mentally ill offenders, consulting with attorneys (e.g., on picking a jury), analyzing a criminal's mind and intent, and practicing within the civil arena. A forensic psychologist may also chose to solely focus his/her career on research, ranging anywhere from examination of eyewitness testimony to learning how to improve interrogation methods (Bersoff, 1997). Another form of Forensic Psychology work is in public policy, where researchers can help in the design of correctional facilities and prisons.
There are a very limited number of undergraduate academic institutions that specifically offer a specialization in Forensic Psychology. Therefore, in most undergraduate programs individuals interested in pursuing a Forensic Psychology career take psychology and specific criminal justice courses during their academic studies. Clinical, social, cognitive, criminal investigative, and developmental psychology are some of the types of courses that help one prepare for this specialty.
Forensic psychologists might help a judge decide which parent should have custody of the children or evaluate the victim of an accident to determine if he or she sustained psychological or neurological damage. In criminal cases, forensic psychologists might evaluate a defendant's mental competence to stand trial. Some forensic psychologists counsel inmates and probationers; others counsel the victims of crimes and help them prepare to testify, cope with emotional distress, and resume their normal activities....................
