Forensic Psychology

Forensic psychology is the intersection between psychology and the justice system. It involves understanding fundamental legal principles, particularly with regard to expert witness testimony and the specific content area of concern (e.g., competence to stand trial, child custody and visitation, or workplace discrimination), as well as relevant jurisdictional considerations (e.g., in the United States, the definition of insanity in criminal trials differs from state to state) in order to be able to interact appropriately with judges, attorneys and other legal professionals. The actual field activity is different for different positions. For example, professionals may provide court studies or computer analysis of suspects rather than actual on the field, hands on crime analysis of committed crimes. Studies may take months and even years to complete. A considerable amount of time may be spent interviewing and researching the suspect’s life and actions. Competition for the best positions is often challenging. This work creates a bridge between psychology and investigations of crime. This is recognized as one of the fastest growing career opportunities. The book gives budding writers, and anyone else with an interest in this subject, a solid grounding in the history, terminology and techniques of forensic psychology.