Forensic Psychology

What is Forensic Psychology?

Forensic psychology is the application of psychological knowledge to the criminal justice system. It’s important to be aware that the use of forensic psychology as a crime-stopping tool is less common than popular culture might suggest. Forensic psychologists do sometimes assist detectives in tracking down suspects, but more commonly their role in the justice system comes during the trial phase. There are essentially two kinds of forensic psychology: one brings psychological analysis to bear during actual trials, and the other applies that analysis at the level of policies and laws. (There are also psychiatrists who specialize in working with the criminally insane, but this is usually considered a sub-category of clinical psychology, not one of forensic psychology.)

The first category covers a wide range of tasks. Forensic psychologists are often called in as expert witnesses when psychological expertise is needed to establish facts, determine proper sentencing, or lend insight on behalf of either the defense or the prosecution. They may evaluate parents and children involved in custody disputes, determine whether an offender is likely to repeat his crime, testify as to whether a defendant is “not guilty by reason of insanity,” or perform any number of other services on behalf of the court.

The second category of forensic psychology is more of a research field, and covers the question of how criminal policy should be shaped by scientific knowledge of human behavior. For example, it used to be the case that eyewitness testimony was considered particularly reliable in criminal cases. If someone came forward to say they saw you commit the crime, you were as good as convicted. Recent psychological research, however, has shown that humans are actually highly susceptible to suggestion, and our memory is not as good as we like to think. Experiments have shown that witnesses can be influenced by lawyers or the media into actually believing that they saw things they didn’t see. Racial profiling and discrimination, which are frequently at issue in criminal cases, can compound this unreliability. Today, eyewitness testimony is actually considered one of the least reliable forms of evidence in criminal cases, and it is largely the result of forensic psychologists’ research into things like memory, suggestion, and facial recognition.

Who Should Study Forensic Psychology?

Forensic psychology is a great area for people who want to use psychology to make the world a better place, but who for whatever reason feel that clinical psychology is not right for them. Forensic psychologists use their knowledge in practical ways, often influencing policy and the law, but tend not to work hands-on with disturbed patients in the way that clinical psychologists often do. The responsibilities of forensic psychology, however, are no less serious: those who follow this path quite literally hold people’s lives in their hands, and must have an acute sense of justice, fairness, and faith in the legal system.

It is also not strictly necessary to study forensic psychology specifically in order to be involved in the field. Many psychologists who do forensic work are developmental psychologists, school psychologists, and clinical psychologists by trade and training, who periodically appear in court to offer their expertise for the benefit of the jury. There are, however, a number of Master’s Degree programs available for those who want to specialize in the application of psychology to problems of criminal justice.

The History of Forensic Psychology

Forensic psychology is almost as old as psychology itself, and in many ways even older. The idea that the insane should be treated differently in criminal matters, usually because they are thought to be less responsible for their actions, dates back at least to ancient Greece. Formal psychological analysis of defendants, however, did not begin in earnest until the end of the 19^th century, when psychologist’s using Freud’s methods of psychoanalysis began to testify in court. It was not until the last half of the 20^th century, however, that the expert testimony of psychologists began to be seen as critical in a wide range of criminal cases. Today, psychologists are often called by lawyers and judges to weigh in on the relevant facts and principles of criminal cases.

In an interesting twist, the movie “Silence of the Lambs” made a major contribution to the field of forensic psychology by placing a psychologist in the heroic role of crime-stopper. In the last several years, movies and TV shows depicting forensic psychology as an exciting and glamorous line of work have encouraged large numbers of students to pursue careers in forensic psychology. Of course, these fictional stories do not contribute to our psychological knowledge of crime and the justice system (in fact, they often perpetuate false myths about the field), but the treatment of forensic psychology in popular culture has nonetheless raised its public profile and thus encouraged talented thinkers to apply themselves in this area. Many other academic disciplines might rightly envy all this popular attention!