Criminal Psychology
(Photo Credit: Jeffrey Errick) What is Criminal Psychology? Posing this question is much the same as asking what is forensic psychology as the two terms are often used interchangeably, however, I think it is possible to differentiate between the two; particularly in relation to their range of enquiry. Both terms relate to the application of psychology within a legal context but the focus of enquiry within forensic psychology is much broader, because unlike criminal psychology it can encompass both criminal and non criminal applications. By definition criminal psychology is restricted to examining crime and criminality. As there are no universally accepted defintions of forensic psychology or criminal psychology the distinction between the two is open to debate, however I personally think it makes sense to consider forensic psychology as a broader umbrella term within which criminal psychology resides. Applying Psychology To Crime In their book Criminal Psychology This is a very useful description in that it spells out the (narrower) focus alluded to above i.e. that criminal psychology is an applied branch of psychology that applies general psychology to issues of crime and justice. The Criminal Psychology Degree Directory
The criminal psychology degree directory is designed to help anybody looking for information relating to criminal psychology degree programs, criminal psychology schools or criminal psychology study options. All the directory listings include details of the type of criminal psychology program on offer, along with a direct link to the department offering the course in question. You can access the criminal psychology degree directory via the following link. Criminal Psychology Degree Directory Quality Criminal Psychology LinksSociety For Police & Criminal Psychology
The Society for Police and Criminal Psychology is an eclectic professional organization that encourages the scientific study of police and criminal psychology and the application of scientific knowledge to problems in criminal justice. It focuses on law enforcement, judicial, and corrections elements in criminal justice. Members of the Society study the full range of human behaviors, motivations, and actions within the framework of the criminal justice system. Consequently, it encourages input from psychologists, social workers, psychiatrists, lawyers, police officers, corrections personnel, and any other professional having a concern for the criminal justice system. Click Here To Visit The Society For Police & Criminal Psychology Website. Free Classic Criminal Psychology BooksOn The Witness Stand: Essays on Psychology & Crime by Hugo Münsterberg
See following link for more details and to download this psychology classic for free. On The Witness Stand: Essays on Psychology And Crime Essential Criminal Psychology ReadingThe Psychology And Law Of Criminal Justice Processes: Cases And Materials by Roger J. R. Levesque
Book Information Psychological science now reveals much about the law's response to crime. This is the first text to bridge both fields as it presents psychological research and theory relevant to each phase of criminal justice processes. The materials are divided into three parts that follow a comprehensive introduction. The introduction analyses the major legal themes and values that guide criminal justice processes and points to the many psychological issues they raise. Part I examines how the legal system investigates and apprehends criminal suspects. Topics range from the identification, searching and seizing to the questioning of suspects. Part II focuses on how the legal system establishes guilt. To do so, it centres on the process of bargaining and pleading cases, assembling juries, providing expert witnesses, and considering defendants' mental states. Part III focuses on the disposition of cases. Namely, that part highlights the process of sentencing defendants, predicting criminal tendencies, treating and controlling offenders, and determining eligibility for such extreme punishments as the death penalty. The format seeks to give readers a feeling for the entire criminal justice process and for the role psychological science has and can play in it. See following link for more details: The Psychology And Law Of Criminal Justice Processes: Cases And Materials Looking For Something In Particular? Try Google Search Go From Criminal Psychology Back To The Home Page 
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, authors Francis Pakes and Suzanne Pakes note that criminal psychology is primarily concerned with answering two questions. Firstly, "how can psychology further our understanding of crime, its causes, consequences and prevention?" And secondly, "how can psychology help the criminal justice system and other agencies in dealing with crime?"
