Criminal psychology, also known as forensic psychology, is a branch of psychology that focuses on criminals. Criminal psychologists can help with everything from creating profiles of offenders or victims based on available information to conducting psychological testing on people on trial for various crimes. A bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate degree in psychology can be used to train in criminal psychology.
While both deal with mental health issues, psychiatry is heavily focused on the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders, which can include a variety of therapies and treatment approaches, whereas psychologists study human behavior and the motivations behind it, which can include mental illness and treatment options.
Criminal psychologists are interested in what motivates people to commit crimes, from serial killers’ childhood environments to the psychological pressures that lead people to rob banks to solve financial problems. They’re also curious about how criminals deal with the aftermath of a crime, such as those who choose to flee or act out in court.
In a criminal investigation, the insights of a criminal psychologist can be extremely useful. These psychologists can deduce the nature of a crime and the perpetrator based on a variety of clues. A murderer who mutilates a victim, for example, may leave markings that could be telltale clues to motivations or identity, which could be used to create a psychological profile that could aid investigators in identifying suspects. Similarly, a criminal psychologist could examine an offender’s victims and draw conclusions about the offender and potential future targets based on their profiles.
An expert in criminal psychology may be asked to observe or participate in the questioning of a suspect in a crime, or to interact with the victim to gather information. He or she can also glean psychological clues from the circumstances surrounding a crime scene or an offender’s residence, and suggest areas of investigation that would be fruitful for investigators.
Some criminal psychologists specialize in assisting children who are criminals or victims of crime. They typically have a master’s degree in child psychology and additional training in criminology and forensic psychology, and they may work with children as patients in a clinical setting, testify in court about child criminals, or assist in criminal investigations involving children.