The field of forensic psychology is a very exciting and rewarding career to be a part of. Forensic psychologists have a wide array of activities that are accomplished every day. These activities involve studying human behavior and actions as they apply to the law enforcement field. Forensic psychologists conduct the health of the human brain to determine if the accused criminal is guilty, not guilty, capable, or incapable of committing the crime. They also are in charge of choosing jury members, conducting interviews with criminals before they are released from prison, along with various other activities.

Education and Experience

Becoming a forensic psychologist requires a lot of education, which is not only costly, but also lasts for several years. Obtaining just a bachelor’s degree takes four years, and to add seven more years to obtain a doctorate creates a total of eleven years of education. If additional courses in forensics, criminal law, or law are taken, both the time and the tuition costs increase greatly. The cost of obtaining both degrees is also very high, depending on where the universities are located and how much tuition is.

With such an expensive path to take for forensic psychology, these psychologists are paid quite well for what they do. Of course, with more education and more experience, their potential to earn a higher income greatly increases. A person with a doctorate instead of a master’s degree will earn more, and a person who has been in the field for ten years will earn more than a person who is just starting out in the field.

Salary

A study by the US Department of Labor concluded that this sub-category will have a growth increase of 15% through the year 2016. The salary of a forensic psychologist has a wide range from around $45,000 to over $100,000. The salaries on the lower end include psychologists who have just started in the field or have met a lower education requirement. The high end of the pay scale includes those who are quite seasoned in the field and have obtained the highest amount of education and experience.

Benefits

As far as benefits go, they are highly dependent upon the employer. Those forensic psychologists who are self-employed may not receive a full benefits package like most other psychologists in this field. A benefits package includes health and dental insurance, and a 401k. In addition, those who work for the government are most likely to receive a higher pay as well as an excellent benefits package.

The field of forensic psychology is becoming high in demand due to the increasing number of crime scene shows that are premiering on television. Most people have a fantasized vision of forensic psychologists as people from shows like CSI, but real life forensic psychologists have a more involved and multifaceted job than just testifying in court. Forensic psychology is the study of human actions and behavior in the law enforcement sector. Their job responsibilities include: judging the mental capabilities of suspected criminals to help a jury determine a verdict of guilty or not guilty, counseling inmates before their release into society, choosing a jury, as well as many other duties.

Get a Degree

There is no straight path to becoming a forensic psychologist. A doctorate in clinical or counseling psychology is definitely needed. Just having a bachelor’s degree will not suffice in being successful in this field. The same holds true for any path of psychology. Obtaining a doctorate will take approximately seven years; not including the four years spent receiving the bachelor’s degree.

Education

There are different ways to receive the education necessary for this field. Some students choose to pick up a track in forensic studies along with their doctorate, if their university has the option to do so. Another option is to double major in law in addition to psychology, or taking criminology or forensic courses. The more education that involves forensics and psychology, the better off the student will be.

Experience

It is also important to have experience with the field. It helps to attend many seminars on criminology and forensics to gain as much knowledge as possible. In addition, finding a mentor or someone who is seasoned in the field will be helpful. Working alongside a forensic psychologist for at least two years will help to gain experience which will be useful when trying to find a permanent job.

Certification

Becoming certified in psychology as well as passing an exam from the American Board of Forensic Psychology will add even more experience and education. Certification is required in most states by law to practice psychology. Once certification has been obtained, the psychologist will be prepared with the proper training and education to begin his or her career as a forensic psychologist.

With the increasing number of crime television shows that are becoming extremely popular, people have a certain stigma of forensic psychologists and what they actually do. Most of the time, the portrayals of these psychologists are embellished, even though some of the job duties are quite similar to the ones on television. Forensic psychology is the combination of psychology and the legal system. People who are in this field study the behavior and actions of those who have been implicated of a crime and are asked to undergo a mental health examination. The outcome of the exam can lead to a proven guilty or not guilty verdict.

Careers

Most of the careers that are obtained by forensic psychologists are the same as basic psychologists. This list includes clinical and school psychologists, neurologists, and counselors. The difference is that with a background in forensics, these careers are more focused on their relation to the law enforcement system. For example, a school forensic psychologist will deal with cases of suspected child abuse.

Duties

Forensic psychologists are often asked to examine the mental capabilities of a person who has been accused of a crime. It needs to be determined if the convicted person has knowledge of his or her crime, in addition to if he or she is mentally stable enough to have committed the crime. The psychologist also determines the possible motives that would entice a person to commit the crime.

They are also asked to testify in court to give their opinion about the person on trial and the results of the mental exam. The jury uses their results in addition to the other facts in order to make a decision regarding the verdict of the convicted person. Forensic psychologists are also involved in the jury selection process. They analyze each potential jury member to determine if the person would be a good jury member based on how they respond to certain questions.

Forensic psychologists’ skills are also needed when releasing a person from prison. In order to be released from prison back into everyday life, the person must prove to the psychologist that he or she has not suffered damage and is able to act as decent citizen in society. It needs to be proved that the crime will not be committed again; otherwise the inmate will have to stay in prison. Forensic psychologists are also called into prisons to deal with bullying, as well as providing counseling for inmates.

The duties of a forensic psychologist are multi-faceted and their jobs are hardly the same every day. They use their best judgment in determining the mental health of accused felons so that justice can be brought to all of those involved in the case. It is a very exciting career path that is one of the most important elements of the law system.

Psychology involves the study of human actions and why they behave as they do. When combined with the criminal justice system, it becomes forensic psychology. Forensic psychology is an applied field of psychology that is used to assess the mental health of individuals in regards to the criminal justice system. This includes convicted criminals, inmates in prisons, and witnesses, depending on the specific type of job and the work environment of said job.

A person who studies forensic psychology has their choice of many job opportunities and is called a forensic psychologist. They not only work with law enforcement, but with the law system itself. What makes a forensic psychologist different than a regular psychologist is the fact that their duties will differ with each case that is assigned to them. For example, a forensic psychologist may have to determine if a client has the mental capacity to commit a crime, which could lead to the suspect to be either guilty or innocent. Also, clients who forensic psychologists deal with are not usually there on their own accord, but have to be analyzed for the sake of the case. These clients are often uncooperative and make the job more difficult.

With a degree in forensic psychology, there are careers available such as clinical or school psychologists, counselors, or neurologists. Yes, they are the same as basic psychologist careers, but the duties differ per occupation and the fact that forensic psychologists relate their duties to the legal system. For example, a neurologist with a background in forensics will be able to study the patients’ brain to determine if he or she is capable of committing a crime and to determine mental capacity. Forensic psychologists are often asked to testify in court to explain their results of their analysis of the patient to the jury. This is all helpful in determining a guilty or not guilty verdict in court.