5 things you should know to study Criminal Psychology

Criminal Psychology, like forensic sciences, has taken a significant boom in recent years. That is why academic demand has also been increasing, especially in countries such as Spain, Mexico and Argentina. It is a sub-discipline that over time has provided us with very valuable information about the psychological reasons that lead a person to commit an illegal act.

The simple idea of ​​taking Criminal Psychology may be very attractive and make many people decide on this specialization. However, It is always useful to arrive at this type of training program knowing something about this branch of psychology.

Factors to consider before taking Criminal Psychology

Whatever you want study a master's degree, a specialty or a diploma, here you can find five factors that you should consider before starting your course.

1. Criminal Psychology or Forensic Psychology? The differences

The first thing to clear in your mind before going through that course is the following: Do you want to study Criminal Psychology or Forensic Psychology?

Contrary to what a vast majority think, both branches are not the same, although they have a certain similarity to each other.

While Criminal Psychology is responsible for trying to understand the criminal, unraveling what psychological causes motivate him to perpetrate his acts, carry out criminological profiles and estimate how to intervene so that he does not return to commit a crime; Forensic Psychology's main tasks are to collect, analyze and present psychological evidence for the clarification of any judicial process; that is, the psychological expertise.

If you are interested in knowing more about the differences between Criminal Psychology and Forensic Psychology, it may be very useful to review this article.

2. Why do I want to study this sub-discipline?

Like what happens when preparing a research work, we must define the topic. It is essential to be completely clear why you want to study this branch of psychologyIn this way, you can get the most out of the course and always go to work motivated.

Are you interested in taking part in the study of the crime phenomenon and its causes? Or what really calls you is to clarify if a person can be found guilty or not of a crime for suffering from a mental disorder? If you answered "yes" to the second question, chances are that your thing is Forensic Psychology.

Of course, the above is only a vague example of the extensive work of both. But it is worth clarifying from the beginning what work you would like to do so that you know that what you are about to study will help you achieve it.

3. What requirements must I meet?

If at this point you are already more sure that Criminal Psychology is your thing, Perhaps now you are wondering what are the requirements that different universities request to take your master's degree, specialty or diploma. It goes without saying that each university requests different subjects and requirements, but unless you decide to do the degree with the full specialty (that is, the degree in criminal psychology), generally universities only request that you have a previous degree in psychology (and if it is clinical, better) in the case of masters and specialties.

In the case of graduates, on many occasions they only request that the performance of your work be related; in this way, lawyers, penologists and criminologists can also take it.

3. What will my competencies be at the end of the course?

Some of the tasks that you will be able to carry out after specializing in Criminal Psychology are the following: carry out opinions in criminal psychology, work as a prison psychologist to contribute to the social rehabilitation of criminals, give care and help prevent violence (for example in the community, school or work area), intervene in situations of psychological emergency and provide first aid to criminals and antisocial subjects in risk situations, perform profiles criminological studies in criminal investigation agencies, assess violence and quantify it, and develop prevention methods psychological, among others.

4. Is it like in the television series?

The most immediate answer to that question is a resounding NO.. The series have not only been in charge of spreading a huge and false fantastic halo around criminal psychologists, who are seen as fortune-tellers who are perfectly capable of understand everything a criminal thinks and will do just by seeing the “modus operandi” of this, but they have also stigmatized the prison population in general by promoting the use of stereotypes in some types of criminals, making each criminal see as if he were a brutal and sadist being thirsty for blood, when reality is far from these concepts.

5. Is this course really for me?

Finally, this is the most important question of all: Is this specialty / master / course really for you? Being a psychologist is hard work and a great responsibility, but it is even more so when it comes to entering the minds of criminals. To close this last point and also by way of reflection, perhaps these questions will help you reaffirm if Criminal Psychology is your thing:

• Are you willing to interfere in the most hidden passages of the human mind to unravel why a subject decides one day to commit a crime?

• Would you like to carry out opinions in Criminal Psychology to determine what were the psychological factors that led "X" subject to committing a crime?

• Do you see yourself living side by side with different types of criminals during work hours and letting go of prejudices?

• Will you study this career, not because of the morbidity that studying antisocials generates, but to help society and especially criminals who want to reintegrate into society?