Many times, you might have seen psychologists as a witness in court, helping the judge and jury to reach a fair decision. But, the thing is they are not like other psychologists. They are forensic psychologists who deal primarily with the law. The court uses the forensic psychological assessment results to decide criminal matters that include the capacity to stand trial, insanity, criminal responsibility, transfer to adult court, and the risk for violence.
A forensic psychologist plays a very important role in criminal proceedings. But, this doesn’t mean that they are only hired by the court to help the judge and jury. Sometimes, they are hired by the agency working on the case and the person in question. In every way, the psychologist helps in the criminal proceedings with its forensic psychological assessment.
This was just a brief. To know the roles of forensic psychologists in criminal proceedings, continue reading.
Complete evaluations and assessments
Forensic psychologists assess the criminal’s psychological state for legal purposes by completing evaluations and assessments. Through evaluations, forensic psychologists acquire information for criminal court proceedings, sentencing criminals, or parole hearings. Later, they assess and report the results of the evaluation that helps other legal professionals to take any decision.
Forensic psychologists are sometimes called by the court to testify the forensic psychological assessment results.
Help in treatment
Through forensic psychological treatment, psychologists implement measures and treatment of psychological problems, reducing problems and preventing crime.
In criminal proceedings, forensic psychologists work with people who have once committed a crime and are also sentenced for it but are still repeating those crimes. With the help of the forensic psychological assessment results, they intervene in the treatment procedure and help people to recover from criminal aspects.
Provide consultation
Through consultation in criminal proceedings, forensic psychologists understand the human behavior of criminals, witnesses, victims, jury attorneys, or other legal professionals. And they do this with the help of their psychological expertise and research.
Forensic psychologists provide consultations in different forms. The two forms among them are law enforcement consultations and trial consultations.
In law enforcement consultations, forensic psychologists assist in criminal profiling, determining the psychological fitness of officers or expertise in criminal behaviors. On the other hand, in trial consultation, forensic psychologists work with legal professionals such as attorneys and help them prepare cases, jury selection, development of case strategy, and witness preparation. Here, the psychologists stay very neutral while consulting, meaning showing no favoritism to any side.
Act as expert witnesses
Forensic psychologists have more knowledge of a situation or topic as well as they are experts in certain topics and have specialized knowledge about criminal proceedings. So, they act as expert witnesses in the court and overall criminal proceedings.
The only thing is that forensic psychologists are hired as expert witnesses based on the trial attorney’s decision. The judge in the case has the power to decide if an expert witness will be accepted or not.
Forensic psychologist assessments performed by forensic psychologists play an important role in criminal proceedings. A lot of things change if the assessment is right. So, you should seek help from a forensic psychologist as and when required.
