The growing awareness of mental health in recent years has highlighted the importance of psychology and its role in overall well-being. More and more people are coming around to seeing mental health as a critical part of health care and are reckoning with the impact mental health issues can have on human interaction and society. This has led to a growing interest in and respect for the discipline of psychology, particularly among students. It has also had a profound impact on the justice system, which is now structured to incorporate psychological analysis into legal decisions, assessments, and testimony. 

The study of forensic psychology is the combination of these worlds, giving students a strong background both in the legal system and in psychological assessment and psychoanalysis. Forensic psychologists can interact with the legal system in a number of ways, from assisting the courts and legal system to providing insight to law enforcement. Here are some popular areas for forensic psychology: 

• Legal System
• Law Enforcement and the Carceral System
• Psychology in Academia 

Forensic Psychology in the Legal System 

Broadly speaking, forensic psychology is a form of psychology focused on those involved with the judicial system or in a legal dispute. Rather than focusing on more benign, personal goals or creating a diagnosis that can be used to seek treatment, forensic psychology seeks to assess one’s ability to interact with the legal system. This information is typically used by  others within the system, such as the judge or lawyer, to assess a juror’s ability to be impartial. Sometimes, forensic psychologists work with forensic scientists to help identify characteristics or patterns in criminal behavior.  

The serious nature of this role means forensic psychologists need to be well-versed in the legal implications of their analysis. Treating mental health is often challenging work, but for a forensic psychologist, it also has serious implications for the lives of those involved in a legal case. 

Forensic psychologists often work alongside lawyers, judges, and other court personnel to assess credibility, impartiality, and mental fitness. Common examples include: 

• Evaluating a defendant’s mental competency for trial. 
• Assessing whether a potential juror’s past experiences could affect their impartiality in a criminal case. 
• Providing expert testimony as part of a legal team’s evidence related to a defendant, crime or situation. 

A forensic psychologist’s testimony becomes a piece of evidence for consideration and thus has a direct impact on the legal outcome of a case. Another common example is the assessment of parents and children during a child custody hearing, which involves the psychologist making an impartial assessment of each parent based on discussions with family members and other relevant parties. 

Forensic Psychology in Law Enforcement and the Carceral System 

A key application for forensic psychology is helping with the analysis and prevention of criminal activity. As experts on human behavior, forensic psychologists can assist detectives or other law enforcement in analyzing evidence, finding patterns, and establishing motivations for criminal activity. Although it isn’t valuable in every situation, forensic analysis of suspects, witnesses, and others involved in a case when gathering evidence can help paint a clearer picture of the crime and assess the credibility of each person. 

In correctional and rehabilitative settings, forensic psychologists support incarcerated individuals by assessing mental health, designing treatment programs. These professionals can also help the incarcerated plan for life after their release. This can be of great help to administrators of these systems and to the formerly incarcerated themselves, as the difficulty of readjusting to life after incarceration is one of the key reasons for the high rate of recidivism among the former incarcerated. 

Forensic Psychology in Academia 

Forensic psychology plays an important role in academia as many professionals choose to advance the discipline through teaching, research and publication. Academic and research positions allow forensic psychologists to analyze and publish studies that impact both psychology and the legal system. Their studies include topics such as criminal behavior, jury decision-making, interrogation methods and rehabilitation effectiveness. These positions are less focused on interactions with patients or subjects, but they may involve information-gathering, interviewing subjects for research, or collecting polling data.   

While less visible to the public, this kind of research can define the methods, approaches, and limits of forensic psychology as a discipline, affecting outcomes in the legal system, law enforcement, and carceral system.  

Degree Options in Forensic Psychology 

For students who are interested in studying the intersection of psychology and criminal justice, here are examples of programs related to forensic psychology. 

Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration – Forensic Psychology Concentration

This program prepares students to apply psychological principles within the justice system, covering topics such as criminal behavior, legal processes and forensic assessment. 

Bachelor of Science in Psychology – Forensic Psychology Concentration 

This degree emphasizes core psychological theory while exploring how mental health, crime and the law intersect. It’s ideal for students interested in human behavior, criminology and rehabilitation. 

Bachelor of Science in Military Studies – Forensic Psychology Concentration 

Designed for those in military, law enforcement or intelligence careers, this program explores how psychological concepts apply to security, decision-making and behavioral analysis. 

Master of Science in Psychology

This degree program provides theoretical coverage in the science of psychology, while introducing critical skills necessary to function proficiently in applied service provision settings. The degree program provides an advanced survey of psychology and builds upon an integrated foundation of general and applied science, research methods, human relations, learning, emotions, behaviors, and development. 

Study Forensic Psychology at Columbia Southern University 

If you are interested in studying psychology and want your work to have an impact on society, Columbia Southern University offers flexible, affordable degree programs that can help you reach your goals. CSU’s online courses provide a foundation in forensic psychology, preparing students for roles in counseling and related fields.  

If you’d like to learn more about our programs, take a look at our course page.