Criminal psychologists are often portrayed observing or interviewing the suspect in movies and television shows about police investigations. In real life, criminal psychologists, also known as forensic psychologists, do assess a criminal’s state of mind and appear in court to present their findings. Criminal psychologists practice psychology in the field of civil courts and the justice system. If the criminal mind and the justice system are of interest to you, this would be a good career choice. Here’s how to qualify for criminal psychologist jobs.
Job Description
A criminal psychologist often will be asked to provide a second opinion in cases where the accused pleads insanity. This makes the criminal psychologist an invaluable asset in the court room. Without the criminal psychologist, just about every crime can be considered as an act of insanity. Apart from providing a second opinion, the criminal psychologist will also perform evaluations on criminals or their victims. Child victims or victims of sexual abuse are commonly asked to get evaluations from a criminal psychologist. Juvenile offenders are also given assessments and evaluations from the criminal psychologist to determine whether the juvenile offender is mature enough to know the consequences of his actions.
Other services that criminal psychologists provide include evidence and assessments in child custody, insurance and other non-criminal law cases.
Career Opportunities and Salary
How much you will make as a criminal psychologist will largely depend on the type of employment that you have. If you work in a government office, you will likely receive a slightly lower salary than those engaged in private practice. The salary range for forensic psychologists working for the FBI is $35,000 to $82,500. In general, the average salary is about $64,000. Opportunities for criminal psychology jobs are expected to increase, with private sector jobs increasing more than government jobs.
Education and Training
Usually, you will need to have an undergraduate degree in psychology if you want to pursue a career in criminal psychology. After getting your undergraduate diploma, you will need a doctorate in clinical or criminal psychology, which may require anywhere from five to seven years, followed by post-doctoral training in forensic psychology. Begin by obtaining a psychology degree through an accredited online school if you’re looking for a convenient, affordable educational option.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Working as a criminal psychologist can be rewarding since this career path allows you to help others. You will also be contributing your expertise to ensure justice is served in the courts. There are also many career paths that you can follow as a criminal psychologist, such as work in educational institutions, in criminal courts, in the government, or as a consultant. Some criminal psychologists specialize in juvenile cases; others focus on sexual assault crimes. However, the salary for criminal psychologist careers is relatively low considering the amount of education and training required.
With these criminal psychology facts in mind, you should be able to determine whether a career in the field of criminal psychology is right for you. Criminal psychologists may have to endure a lot of schooling to complete their training, but the job can be very rewarding and fulfilling.