Are you considering getting a degree in forensic psychology? You’ll want to know what careers are available to you. Luckily, this field has plenty of awesome opportunities!
These are seven of the best careers and jobs in forensic psychology that you’ll want to know about. They’re all awesome in their own ways, so you’re sure to find one that suits you off of this list. Here’s what you need to know.
What a Forensic Psychologist Does
Before we jump into the jobs you’ll find in this field, you’ll want a broader understanding of what a forensic psychologist does and why these jobs are so awesome. These careers focus on the areas where psychology and the law connect. You’ll spend most of your working time studying criminal behavior and crimes to help those in law enforcement.
Many forensic psychologists also work as judges and lawyers. With this background, these professionals can better understand the criminal mindset, helping them to make better legal choices regarding cases. People within this field often feel successful because they know they’re bettering their communities.
Overall, you can find many awesome jobs as a forensic psychologist! A degree in this field would open up many career paths for you.
1. Jury Consultant
First, you might want to consider becoming a jury consultant. These consultants select the jury and evaluate witness testimony, making them experts in communication. They also help lawyers understand what will be most important for the jurors in a trial.
Jury consultants are essential for keeping things flowing smoothly in the courtroom. You’ll love working in this position if you enjoy studying human behavior and have excellent communication skills.
2. Victim Advocate
Next, you may want to think about working as a victim advocate. If you’re passionate about victims’ rights and want to help them succeed and find closure in their cases, this is the best job for you.
The victim advocate works directly with victims of crimes, including sexual assault. You provide the victim with all the information they need to make informed choices and give them ample support. However, you must realize you can provide a victim with all the resources they need, but you can’t directly tell them what to do.
Victim advocates are highly supportive people who need to be there for their clients throughout the entire court process. Having a background in forensic psychology makes it easier to relate to the victim and determine what rights to pursue. It also makes it possible to understand better how they’re feeling during proceedings.
3. Crime/Criminal Analyst
A crime analyst is a specialist who works with law enforcement to study crimes. You’ll be responsible for collecting data and sorting it into profiles, allowing you to see if there are any patterns in criminal activity. You also would analyze phone calls, police reports, and more.
These professionals must have extreme attention to detail to locate criminal patterns. You’ll also inform your police department to help them set up their patrols and guide law enforcement in finding criminals.
A Master’s in forensic psychology will make you much more appealing to those hiring for this position.
4. Crime Reporter/Investigative Journalist
Another awesome career would be working as an investigative journalist. These experts use forensic psychology skills to provide law enforcement with documentation and evidence of crimes. You’ll also work with informants and interview both suspects and victims.
Essentially, these professionals research criminal cases and document them. All of their written stories rely on their first-hand accounts, so you’ll need to be able to present information well after uncovering it too.
5. Correctional Counselor
Correctional counselors are there to provide ex-convicts with the support they need to leave behind a criminal lifestyle. You help them make better choices by teaching them, guiding them, and studying their behavior to make a plan that suits that individual the best. This career is one of the most popular in the forensic psychology field, and for a good reason!
You might also perform psychological evaluations on the ex-convicts or inmates to better understand them and offer them treatment. These experts’ main goal is to enhance the life and well-being of their patients, so you’ll need to have a lot of compassion for others to work in this field.
Overall, as a correctional counselor, you make a massive difference in the lives of convicts. Through your rehabilitation plans, you’ll enable them to experience life outside of the legal system again.
6. Criminal Profiler
A criminal profiler specializes in human behavior, allowing them to recognize signs of criminal behavior easily. You’d be responsible for determining who the primary suspect of an investigation should be.
You’ll need to pay attention to detail since you’ll look for small cues that most others miss. This job requires that you specialize in severe crimes. Still, you can make a significant impact on the safety of your community. In short, criminal profilers are an essential part of the legal system. You’ll learn a lot about criminal patterns in this career.
7. Forensic Psychologist
When you obtain your degree in forensic psychology, this career is probably one of the first you’ll want to pursue. As a professional forensic psychologist, you’ll have a significant role in law enforcement.
These experts study psychology to understand better what causes criminal behavior, allowing you to reduce or even prevent it from happening again. You may also narrow down lists of suspects for police or give testimony during trials.
You’ll perform mental evaluations and more within the field, so you will need to have your Master’s degree. Overall, this career comes with plenty of upward momentum.
A Career in Forensic Psychology is Always Worth It
It’s always worth pursuing a career in forensic psychology! The field always has open positions that need filling, and you’re sure to feel passionate about your work. You can earn a good wage and make more by obtaining further certifications. There’s a lot of potential to build an outstanding career with this degree.
To summarize, there are tons of awesome careers and jobs in forensic psychology. Success will follow if you can choose the one you’re most passionate about.
