Forensic psychology: definition and functions of the forensic psychologist

As we have already explained in other posts, Psychology is the science that studies human behavior and mental processes in a broad sense. These mental processes are the genesis of behavior: our thinking ends up being specified in certain tangible and observable motivations, attitudes and behaviors.

Forensic Psychology: one of the fields in psychology

But, What is forensic psychology? The term forensic comes from the Latin forum. That is, the square, the public space where public trials took place in Roman times.

So that, forensic psychology is the branch of psychology that studies and intervenes in judicial processes in order to provide data and knowledge to help solve cases. Forensic psychology professionals are forensic psychologists, and their role is to collect, study and correctly interpret the different psychological data that may contribute important elements for a judgment.

The Roles and Skills of Forensic Psychologists

Forensic psychology professionals, in addition to being graduates in psychology

They must have knowledge and tools of judicial, procedural and criminal law. This allows them to have the necessary background to be able to accurately understand judicial processes and correctly apply psychological techniques in this field.

Forensic psychologists work closely with lawyers, experts, prosecutors, and judges. In fact, forensic psychologists act as experts in providing professional testimony in certain trials, providing data and knowledge of interest to collaborate with the Justice and ensure that the circumstances of the case may be clarified, at least as regards certain psychological and / or psychopathological aspects of some or all of the parties involved.

A professional psychologist, but also an expert in law

A forensic psychologist is not simply a psychologist who performs certain tasks in a state administration of justice. Actually, he is a great dominator of all the concepts, norms and dynamics of the legal system in which he finds himself.

The forensic psychologist has a broad understanding of all legal and procedural mechanisms. In fact, if this were not the case, he could easily be excluded from certain processes in which he participated, having lost the credibility of the different actors involved in the trial. The judicial system is a formal system in which methods and procedures are of paramount importance. Hence, the forensic psychologist, in addition to being an expert in his field, must know and perfectly adapt to these regulations.

• It may interest you: "Differences between Criminal Psychology and Forensic Psychology"

What functions does a forensic psychologist have in court?

There are many elements and factors in which forensic psychology plays a key role in the context of a judicial process. In order to help the judge make the right decisions, the forensic psychologist makes a series of knowledge and tools available to the case.

One of the most common functions refers to the study carried out by forensic psychologists on the mental faculties and psychological conditions of any of the parties involved in a trial (defendants, complainants and even witnesses). This analysis helps to elucidate, in the case of the accused, whether they were in full use of their mental faculties at the time they allegedly committed a crime. For example, if there is a homicide defendant, a forensic psychologist would have the ability to make a report indicating whether, at the time of the crime, the defendant was aware of his acts.

The training of a forensic psychologist

We have talked about what forensic psychology is and also about the tasks that judicial psychology professionals perform. However: What training must a forensic psychologist have to be able to practice?

This point is more complicated to explain, since each country has different legislation regarding the background academic required by these types of professionals. In general, we can say that, to engage in forensic psychology, the professional must have the degree or a bachelor's or university degree in Psychology, to later specialize in one of these branches: organizational psychology, Social psychology or clinical psychology, this last area being especially relevant.

Later, must be pursuing a postgraduate or master's degree in forensic psychology. However, it is of special interest that the forensic psychologist has extensive knowledge of psychological evaluation, psychopathologies, and diagnostic and intervention techniques. How the forensic psychologist has to help elucidate if the accused person has mental disorders or not, part of his work resembles that of a clinical psychologist, although in this case his interests and those of the person evaluated do not usually coincide.

Role in criminal and corrective measures

In addition to the above, forensic psychology also has some influence when it comes to reporting and suggest the type of treatment that a person sentenced to deprivation of Liberty. A) Yes, the judge may have more elements to decide how to execute the sentence and what will be the corrective measures imposed.

Forensic Psychology collaborates and describes, but does not judge

It is worth making a point: forensic psychology can help a judge to determine certain psychological factors of the parties involved in a judicial process; it can explain the behavior of a person to make it more understandable that he was a victim or aggressor in certain circumstances. This information is provided to the court so that it may be able to make an informed decision on the facts.

However, the forensic psychologist is not empowered to defend or act as a prosecutor for any of the parties involved in a lawsuit. Its function is descriptive and informative, and therefore it must be completely neutral.

Courts of justice usually ask very specific questions to the forensic psychologist, always relative the case being judged and around the different psychological variables that may have influenced the facts. The terminology with which the different judicial actors express themselves is that of the legal sphere, and thus the forensic psychologist is also expected to adhere to unambiguous and context-consistent language.

In other words, the different actors involved in the judicial process (judge, lawyers, prosecutors and jury) need to know the direct effects of the psychological state of some of those involved to determine to what extent they are responsible for their Actions. In this sense, it should be clarified that it would make no sense for the forensic psychologist to digress on the mental state of any of the parties judged beyond the task entrusted to them, which is shed light on the psychological circumstances of the parties involvedduring the events that are being tried, and by extension of the treatment that must be provided to any of the parties, if necessary.

Guilt, responsibility, defenses ...

Forensic psychologists are often the subject of controversy. This is because, as professionals in the judicial field, we also have the power to influence court decisions. For example, forensic psychologists may point out the advisability of exempting a defendant from guilt by arguing that, at the time of the events, he was not aware of his actions. Therefore, they have the ability to release an individual, even if he may have been the material author of a crime.

Likewise, judicial psychologists can also advise aggravating or mitigating certain crimes, indications that can affect the sentence imposed on the accused.

These roles are always controversial.. For example, in the case of a defendant who murdered a child, if he is declared unimpeachable for clinical (psychiatric) reasons, the family of the murdered minor may explode in anger against such a decision, even though it has strict grounds clinical

However, and although it can generate all kinds of social debates, the truth is that forensic psychology contributes decisively to the fact that justice can be delivered in a balanced and fair way, if I may redundancy.