Forensic psychology is an exceptional combination of psychology and the criminal justice system. It’s critical application has had a considerable effect in the field of criminal justice, since its very inception. Forensic psychologists perform assessments not only in courtrooms but also in offices or schools and many other legal
critical application has had a considerable effect in the field of criminal justice, since its very inception. Forensic psychologists perform assessments not only in courtrooms but also in offices or schools and many other legal arenas. Their tasks involve threat evaluation in schools, child custody assessment, aptitude evaluations of criminal defendants. They also provide counseling services to crime victims, procedures to evaluate death scenarios, view and select law enforcement aspirants and examine post-traumatic stress disorders. Not just that, they deliver and evaluate interventions and cure programs for young and adult lawbreakers.
Role of Forensic Psychology in Criminal Justice
Forensic science is used effectively to solve crimes. With the help of available data or evidence from the related crime scene, it is determined how the crime has been committed and by whom. Forensic scientists belonging from diverse fields evaluate and make conclusions that help in forming a complete picture of what had actually happened at the scene of the crime. This information is then used by the police and prosecutors to solve criminal cases and bring justice. To learn about and read forensic cases, you can log on to https://answershark.com/forensic-psychology/.
Here’s how forensic psychology makes the most of the available evidence to solve criminal cases:
1) PHYSICAL EVIDENCE
Crime scene investigators collect physical evidence from the crime scenes, which may include blood, skin, bones, hair, fingerprints, etc. Even soil and other particulates such as glass, fibers, plastics, microorganisms, etc. are collected to be analyzed by different types of forensic scientists depending on its nature.
2) PSYCHOLOGICAL EVIDENCE
Forensic psychologists, as well as psychiatrists, create profiles of criminals or suspects for the investigating team to use in taking them into custody. In that case, behavioral scientists go through the available evidence to come across helpful clues about the prospective criminal. This includes the criminal’s probable age, race, marital status, habits, birth traits, etc .
3) VERBAL EVIDENCE
Getting information from eye-witnesses or relatives or living victims is used as verbal evidence, which is then used by forensic experts to confirm the physical evidence. Memories, sounds, sights, phone calls, etc. are very helpful for solving cases.
4) RECONSTRUCTING THE CRIME
Forensic science provides investigators with evidence and information about how a crime was committed. From the available evidence, they can identify the weapon which was used in the criminal act and also the crime scene. For example, bullet marks or gun shells help to determine which kind of gun was used. Even, the marks on the victim’s body identify if the victim had been repeatedly abused or met with an accident,etc.
5) IDENTIFYING THE SUSPECTS
Matching the evidence with the probable criminals or suspects is the next step in forensic psychology. Evidence found at the crime scenes such as blood, semen, saliva, hairs, fingerprints, etc. yield DNA evidence, which can be matched against the criminal databases to identify the actual criminal.
6) LINKING THE SUSPECT TO THE VICTIM
Forensic science draws a scientific connection between the suspect and the victim. This clarifies the motive of the crime committed by the criminal to the victim.
Forensic Psychology more deeply connected to solving crimes than what it gets credit for. In the coming days, the importance for the same is only going to increase.