Differences between criminal psychology and forensic psychology

With the unfortunate increase in recent years of criminal acts in general, and of terrorist acts In particular, settings such as courts of justice or social reintegration centers are experiencing a real boom due to the need to cushion the impact that violence has.

Likewise, criminal acts also entail processes such as mediation and assistance to victims, as a framework for action by increasing relevance to the psychologist.

Psychology around criminal acts: what does it consist of?

Currently, psychology has become a fundamental discipline in the administration of justice. Their direct or indirect intervention in criminal proceedings is essential in the care and treatment of crime or interpersonal violence and of genre, as well as other conflicts of personal rights.

This need for specialization translates into a growing demand for forensic and criminal psychologists.

Differentiating between Criminal Psychology and Forensic Psychology

But to talk about Criminal psychology and of Forensic psychology

It is necessary to clarify what are the differences between these two 'disciplines' (or sub-disciplines) of action. There is great confusion around their similarities and differences, so terms are often confused and it is not uncommon for there to be people who consider it to be a single discipline.

Today we are going to learn about the differences between Forensic Psychology and Criminal Psychology, as well as discover their functions and areas of intervention.

General concepts

In order to understand the nature of each discipline, it is necessary to know some general concepts that will allow us to better understand what they consist of.

Psychology

The psychology is a branch of science that studies psychic phenomena and operations. It is, in other words, the scientific study of human behavior and experience, of how human beings (and including animals) think, feel, experiment, learn and do with the aim of adapting to the environment they surrounds.

Forensic

From Latin forensics alluding to forum, refers to the place where an oral trial is held. This term usually causes a lot of confusion and commotion since it is usually immediately associated with the thanatology. However, when discipline is added to this term, simply refers to the fact that it contributes to the administration of justice or is related to it.

Legal

It is a concept widely used in law. Refers to sciences that study the legal system and what is related to the laws.

What is each one in charge of?

We have seen an approximate definition of each of these areas, but, What role does each of them play?

Forensic psychology: concept and scope of action

The Forensic psychology is that part of psychology that develops within the specific legal field and / or in its organs dependent, characterized by having its own techniques that make it an auxiliary science in this countryside.

Forensic Psychology addresses the behavior and mental processes that need to be explained or determined during an oral trial, since the main interest of this branch of psychology consists in helping the administration of justice. In addition, forensic psychology has the peculiarity of being interested in the study of the victim to determine the psychological consequences suffered after the crime.

What is the job of a forensic psychologist?

We can also understand forensic psychology as that branch of applied psychology related to the collection, analysis and presentation of psychological evidence for judicial purposes. Therefore, it is essential for the forensic psychologist to understand the criminal law in the jurisdiction that corresponds to him, in order to carry out legal evaluations and interact appropriately with judges and lawyers.

Another important aspect of the forensic psychologist is that You must have the ability to testify in court about the expertise you have performed (Suppose, determine the mental state of the accused at the time of committing the crime). Generally, his job is more to clarify legal issues than psychological ones. Among the most notable tasks that the forensic psychologist is in charge of are: issuing opinions on issues in his area, evaluate and treat any personnel of the administration of justice that is involved in the process, analyze all those problems psychological or emotional nature and give pertinent recommendations regarding responsibility, mental health and safety of the subject refers.

Criminal psychology: concept and scope of action

The Criminal psychology or criminological takes care of study the behavior and mental processes of the individual who has committed a crime. Criminal psychology, therefore, is in charge of studying the developments and processes of a psychological nature that intervene in the ideation and perpetration of criminal acts.

It studies the reasons and the way in which criminal conduct is manifested distinctly from other conducts, addressing the scientific observation of criminal behavior types, types of criminals and crime as a phenomenon psychosocial.

What is the job of a criminal psychologist?

Criminal Psychology lays the theoretical and practical bases to facilitate the task of criminal psychologists. They elaborate the psychodiagnosis with the intention of foreseeing a prognosis and considering an adequate treatment through the study of the criminal's personality. Likewise, criminological psychology integrates the therapeutic work aimed at modifying the antisocial behavior of the subject.

This branch, contrary to what one might think, it is not exclusively clinical but it also extends to studies on crime and about the psychological factors that influence it.

Among the many tasks that a criminal psychologist can perform, we can cite the following: conducting studies of the criminal personality whose purpose is to clarify the endogenous and exogenous psychological factors that led to the conduct criminal, help the criminologist to establish the dangerousness of a subject, criminal profiling in investigative agencies, offer psychotherapeutic treatment to inmates, etc.

summarizing

Criminal Psychology and Forensic Psychology play essential roles in compliance with the law, the judicial system and the criminology. However, the former is used primarily to determine the psychological reasons for commits a crime and the forensic examiner analyzes the effect of the crime on the victims and the mental condition of the victimizer.

Similarities and differences

It is worth getting one comparison table to better understand the similarities and differences between each one in a synthetic way.

Bibliographic references:

• Mendoza Beivide, A.P. "Psychiatry for criminologists and criminology for psychiatrists" Editorial Trillas. Mexico. 2014
• Stingo, N.R. "Dictionary of psychiatry and forensic psychology" Editorial Polemos. Argentina. First edition. 2006