The juridic psychology Is an integral branch of science that covers both legal and legal work as the field of human personality and interaction between people, since the adaptation of legal regulations and interaction between us are inextricably connected in most Of the occasions. Thus, many psychologists seek an improvement of the legal system with their interventions.
Law and psychology are two distinct disciplines, but they have much in common. Although the goal of psychology is to understand people's behavior and the purpose of laws is to regulate it, both make assumptions about what causes people to behave the way they do.
Psychologists have much to contribute in the legal field. The processes that mediate human behavior are inseparable from most other areas of our lives, and legal issues are no exception.
Definition of legal psychology
Legal psychology, unlike other areas, is called in various forms, which may be a reflection of the immaturity of this field. It is also known as criminal, legal psychology, applied to the courts and judicial. All these expressions are used as synonyms but, if we look for the etymology of each of them, we see that they do not mean the same thing at all.
Most authors working on legal psychology have developed their own definitions or have not even addressed a precise definition. An objective definition of the term"legal psychology"is necessary to include all that these definitions have in common and to ensure the validity and scientific legitimacy of the area.
In general, legal psychology is the psychology applied to court cases, crime and its treatment, mental state and mental processes. It is applied for a better exercise of law and laws, and studies the purposes, motives, thoughts and feelings Of the people who are part of the justice process. In other words, it investigates and intervenes in human behavior in legal cases with the aim of defending human rights and achieving justice.
Unfortunately, there are not many people who pay attention to legal psychology. It is a little known field (although it is becoming more famous) and is not yet fully regulated. However, understanding the inferences of legal psychology is very important for both lawyers and officials of state institutions who are working on the resolution of almost any professional task, as they must maintain the legal interests of society and All individuals.
What is a legal psychologist?
In general, the legal psychologist is in charge of studying, evaluating and investigating what happens within the legal system. This includes selection of jurors, investigations to improve the justice system, and assessments of the veracity of testimony from persons who witnessed a crime or crime.
One of the primary functions of the legal psychologist is to evaluate and value individuals for legal bodies and judicial systems. In this context, the psychologist can evaluate a wide variety of people, from a parent trying to obtain custody of their minor children to a prisoner who is going to trial for committing a murder. They also interview candidates for jobs within the legal system to assess suitability for the position.
Regardless of the individual being evaluated, legal psychologists rely on their training in human behavior studies to provide unbiased assessment of the individual.
To carry out this function, legal psychologists often conduct interviews or administer tests and other psychological tests to individuals facing criminal or civil charges, trying to be as objective and scientifically rigorous as possible. They also work with witnesses to help them remember information and assess the truthfulness of the facts that count and serve as consultants in law enforcement investigations.
Some legal psychologists work in administrative capacities such as the development of legal policies that address social ills. For example, a legal psychologist may work with a city mayor, councilor, or other officers to define how a city ordinance will address a disturbing issue for the city, such as underage drinking.
As part of this role, legal psychologists can consult with city decision-making bodies to provide legal advice and clarify issues related to psychology that have to do with the issue being addressed.
In this case, this type of psychologist can present information to the city councilor about the harmful effects that alcohol can have on the development of the brains of minors, as well as on the most effective treatments for children who have a problem Of alcoholism.
Differences and similarities between Legal psychology and forensic psychology
Since both are included within the legal scope, legal psychology is usually confused etymologically with the Forensic psychology . Although related, the two branches of applied psychology are not the same; Each type of psychologist performs different functions.
Legal psychology, as explained above, is responsible for studying what happens within the legal system (examining the selection of jurors, testimonies of eyewitnesses...), while forensic psychology studies topics more directly related to criminals: mental state During the crime or during the trial, the likelihood that they will commit a crime again if they are released...
The juridical psychology includes the study of the thought processes and behavior of jurors, the judicial system, legal processes, etc. Forensic psychology focuses, above all, on criminal cases and the psychological issues related to them.
For example, a forensic psychologist helps determine if a defendant was mentally healthy when he or she committed a crime and can draw conclusions about whether to commit another crime in the future. In many cases, a coroner helps determine whether a prisoner is fit to be released or not.
Typically, forensic psychologists work directly with suspects and criminals in the criminal justice system. Its main function is to evaluate clients (criminals, accused) to determine if they are mentally healthy.
Legal psychologists work with police officers and lawyers. They also conduct research studies on patterns of behavior in legal processes and in the legal system to achieve an improvement in justice. They do not deal with criminals or the accused themselves.
The main functions of these psychologists are to examine how juries are chosen, how judges make decisions, and the credibility of visual testimony. These psychologists also interview potential jurors to better understand their mental states and thought processes. Legal psychologists tend to regard visual testimony as invalid and worthy of mistrust.
They also tend to believe that jurors' personal preferences and biases (their personalities, knowledge of legal terms) significantly influence jury decisions and the outcomes of justice processes. Their job is to try to eliminate these biases as little as possible and make justice processes as objective as possible.
Both types of psychologists have a very similar salary and must have certificates or licenses to be considered as legal or forensic psychologists and work as such.
Where does a legal psychologist work?
A legal psychologist can work on a wide variety of sites related to the criminal justice system or civilian courts. They are more research oriented than other related psychologists, but they are more clinical than forensic psychologists. They can work in a private office, providing consultations with other professionals such as prosecutors or lawyers or public defenders.
Other facilities where they can work are correctional facilities and juvenile detention centers. Sometimes they have to appear in court, as well as travel in their country or in other parts of the world if they are licensed to practice in multiple states.
They may need to do consultancy work involving travel, such as providing training and education to other professionals or selecting jurors. They also conduct investigations for security agencies or for municipal police forces.
Legal psychologists are also qualified to teach courses in psychology and criminology at universities and other education centers. Some legal psychologists have done their doctorate in Jurisprudence and have passed the law examination, so that they are qualified to implement the law, and do so in the offices where other prosecutors work.
What are the professional perspectives of a legal psychologist?
The job prospects of legal psychologists appear to be strong. Statistical data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics predict that work related to psychology in general will grow at a rate above the average in the next 6-8 years.
However, some specialties of psychology are expected to experience tremendous growth. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), jobs where psychology and law cross are among those who are going to experience higher growth and, as a result, will be in high demand.
The impulse of the demand of workers who can apply the principles of the psychology to legal events comes from the necessity of a greater contribution of professionals of mental health in the criminal justice system. As the scope of mental health expands in the legal arena, so do job opportunities.
In fact, the number of jobs related to psychology and law exceeds the number of workers and, therefore, job opportunities are more prevalent in this area than in other specialties of psychology.
Since the office of the legal psychologist is not yet completely officially regulated and relatively new, it is not well known. However, being an area that has not yet known its boom, is in continuous growth at the present time. The future for psychologists who wish to dedicate themselves to contribute to improving the processes of justice is hopeful.
What are the educational requirements to become a legal psychologist?
Given the nature of the work carried out in legal psychology, it is an advantage for individuals seeking to work in this field to have received education both in the legal area and in the area of psychology. For starters, it is desirable to have undergraduate courses related to psychology. These university programs can be completed, if there are no complications, in four years. Other suitable studies are those related to criminal justice.
The university degree is totally essential to get to enter the field of legal and legal psychology. The degree in psychology, criminology, criminal justice or law are excellent choices for this purpose. Currently there are even university programs that combine studies in psychology and legal studies, such as Criminology and Law or Psychology and Criminology.
The degree for psychologists is different depending on the state or country in which the individual is, and the requirements to reach a legal psychologist job can vary significantly.
Typically, to become a psychologist, the person is required to have a doctorate in psychology that obtains a certain mark on a written examination, as well as a specific amount of hours of supervised practice. Legal psychologists who also have a doctorate in Jurisprudence must seek a degree in their state or country if they want to carry out legal practices.