FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY
& FORENSIC PSYCHIATRY:
AN OVERVIEW
From a brochure from the Ontario Psychology Association:

    "Forensic psychology is concerned with emotional and behavioural questions and issues that relate to law and legal systems"

As one could see this is a very broad definition.  The brochure goes on further to state:
 
    Forensic psychologists, "provide advice to legislators, judges, correctional officers, lawyers and the police ... is called upon, for example, to serve as an expert witness ... diagnose and treat incarcerated and probationed offenders; and screen and evaluate personnel in the law enforcement and judicial systems"

    This definition of forensic psychology is most definitely a multi-disciplinary one.  What skills a forensic psychologist needs varies depending on their positions.  Overall an understanding of abnormal psychology, psychometric testing, and social psychology appear to be an asset.  Criminal profilers, recently termed as Investigative Psychologists, require additional training in personality, criminology, and the forensic sciences.  While police psychologists often carry this work load, along with an industrial psychological component.

TERMS USED FOR FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGISTS

    Considering all this, can we legitimately consider forensic psychology a single discipline?  I believe so.  Just as one  social psychologist may focus on group behaviour while a second one looks at interpersonal attraction, forensic psychology is best considered as a large all-encompasing field, for which correctional, police, and legal psychology are all sub-disciplines.

    Where does this leave Forensic Psychiatry?  Is there a difference between the two fields?  I believe that there is a difference.  The social, police-industrial, and investigative sub-disciplines of forensic psychology are most definitely unique to that field.  However the clinical level at times can have quite fuzzy boundaries (a fact that exists with psychiatry and clinical psychology in general).  These boundaries are primarily defined by the professional's therapeutic approach.  As time passes more psychologists are looking into the biological realm of abnormal psychopathology (i.e. psychopharmacology) and a equal number of psychiatrists are moving into the psychological domain of cognitive-behavioural therapy (etc.).

    According to the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, Forensic Psychiatry is, "a medical subspecialty that includes research and clinical practice in the many areas in which psychiatry is applied to legal issues. While some forensic psychiatrists may specialize exclusively in legal issues, almost all psychiatrists may, at some point, have to work within one of the many areas in which the mental health and legal system  overlap."

    The AAPL goes on to state that in the following  domains psychiatry an the law share a common boundary:

The answer to the question of whether or not Forensic Psychology and Forensic Psychiatry is now quite simple to answer.  They are different!  While the two may seem to interact in clinical forensic environments, each has unique components that are not covered to any significant extent by the other.  As well, in those areas that they are both active, each of the disciplines tend to take a unique theoretical approach (though this is not always the case).

Then you ask:  What is Investigative Psychology?  For the answer check the FAQ.

I wrote an editorial for an Electronic Journal that describes Forensic Psychology in MUCH MORE DETAIL then is found here...  CLICK HERE to read it!

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