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Becoming a Criminal Psychologist

Criminal psychologists are part of the larger field of forensic psychologists, who work in areas of psychology that pertain to the law. They use psychological methods that can help in criminal investigations. They can also use their skills to assess and guide individuals who are involved in the criminal justice system. In the course of their work, criminal psychologists can perform investigations with witnesses, provide expert testimony, and conduct research studies into individuals or groups. They can also specialize in issues related to child abuse or neglect, or they can determine a person’s competency to stand trial in criminal cases. On a broader scale, criminal psychologists can also work to improve processes in prisons or jails or help government to establish public policy about crime and law enforcement. They can also determine the level of threat that a person might pose, either to family and friends, or in a workplace or public event. If you’ve seen television shows about jury trials, you may have witnessed jury selection. Criminal psychologists can play

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