criminal psychologist

Criminal psychology, also referred to as criminological psychology, is the study of the views, thoughts, intentions, actions and reactions of criminals and suspects. It is a subfield of criminology and applied psychology. The field aims to understand why individuals commit crimes and how psychological principles can be used to prevent criminal behavior and assist the justice system. Criminal psychologists have many roles within legal courts, including being called upon as expert witnesses and performing psychological assessments on victims and those who have engaged in criminal behavior. They may also assist law enforcement agencies during investigations by offering behavioral insights on suspects. Several definitions are used for criminal behavior, including behavior punishable by public ...