Criminal Psychology Career Research Paper

Picking a career that is “right for you” is nerve-racking; there are so many options and so much to think about. Of course we all had our fantasies about being superman, or in my case wonder woman, but as we grow older we realize its time to get serious. I personally wanted to be a lawyer, an interior decorator, a dancer, a teacher; the list goes on and on. Shockingly enough after 18 years of life I finally think I know what it is I want to do. I want to be a criminal psychologist, just like Reed on criminal minds! He’s my favorite! But the job is not all fun and games of course Hollywood can’t show reality, now that would just be boring. A criminal psychologist isn’t exactly the most common profession so I will inform you exactly what they
do, where they work and the type of education and training it takes to enter this profession.

A large part of what a criminal psychologist does is study why people commit crimes.
However, they may also be asked to assess criminals in order to evaluate the risk of recidivism or make educated guesses about the actions that a criminal may have taken after committing a crime. In addition to helping law enforcement solve crimes or analyze the behavior of criminal offenders, criminal psychologists are also often asked to provide expert testimony in court. Perhaps one of the best known duties of a criminal psychologist is known as offender profiling, or criminal profiling. The practice started during the 1940s during World War II. Today, organizations such as the FBI utilize offender profiling to help apprehend violent criminals. The goal of criminal profiling is to provide law enforcement with a psychological assessment of the suspect and to provide strategies and suggestions that can be used in the interviewing process. While the job may not be exactly like you see it on television, the job is far from boring. Dr. Keith Durkin, chair of the department of psychology and sociology at Ohio Northern University explains, "Careers in criminal psychology are never boring, and if you have an education in that field, it's great training for a huge range of jobs. You can do something different every day. You could work in counseling people who have committed crimes and need psychological assessment. Many psychologists are exploring computer-related fields, like studying Internet
predators or helping investigate online fraud."

Many people who work in this field spend a great deal of time in office and court settings. A criminal psychologist might spend a decent amount of time interviewing people, researching an offender’s life history or providing expert advice in the courtroom. In some cases, criminal psychologists may work closely with police and federal agents to help solve crimes, often by developing profiles of murderers, kidnappers, rapists and other violent criminals. Criminal psychologists are employed in a number of settings. Some work for local, state or federal government, while others are self-employed as independent consultants. Still others opt to teach criminal psychology at the university level or at a specialized criminology training facility. In many cases, criminal psychologists start out by earning a bachelor's degree in psychology.
After completing an undergraduate degree, some students opt to then enter a master's in psychology program. While there are some jobs in criminal and forensic psychology at the master's level, the U.S. Department of Labor reports that opportunities are limited and competition for these positions is often very fierce. Entering a doctorate program after earning your bachelor's is another option. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, job openings in this specialty area are more plentiful for those with a Ph.D. or Psy.D. degree in psychology. In order to become a criminal psychologist, you should seriously consider earning a Ph.D. or Psy.D. degree in clinical or counseling psychology. In some cases, students opt to focus on a particular specialty area such as forensic or criminal psychology. No matter what type of degree you choose to earn, it will likely take about five years to complete and will include classroom work, practical training, research and a dissertation. In order to become a licensed psychologist, you will also need to complete an internship and pass state
examinations. Overall, Criminal Psychology is definitely not like you see on television, but it is still a fast-paced, interesting career field. It may not be right for everyone but I personally can’t wait to get started.