The rapidly growing field of Forensic Psychology focuses on the application of psychology to questions and issues relating to law and the legal system. The following descriptions illustrate that there are a variety of forensic psychology career opportunities.
Administration
Managers, clinical directors, and program directors perform vital administrative work to help agencies run smoothly and effectively. Typical duties include program coordination, fiscal supervision, coordination of staff and their training, and quality assurance. Many of these jobs are found in correctional settings, juvenile court divisions, and in not-for-profit organizations
Case Management
Case management is for clients living in the community or residential treatment facilities who can benefit from sustained contact with a counselor. Case managers teach problem-solving and conflict resolution skills and assess a client’s living skills to determine what types of supports he or she need to live successfully in the community. Counselors assist clients by providing support in the areas of housing, work, and relationships and help clients identify community support and resources.
Clinical/Counseling
Clinical and counseling programs can vary a great deal in forensic psychology. Services offered include in-home treatment, family stabilization or reunification, family assessment, and working on developing outside supports for the family. Counselors employ their clinical skills to conduct assessments to identify problems and develop treatment interventions. Therapy also can involve the treatment of sex offenders, treatment for victims, and/or individuals with substance abuse disorders. Additional counseling in the areas of crisis intervention, vocational assessment, domestic violence, and mental health is a high priority in these types of positions.
Correctional Officer
Correctional officers perform routine duties in accordance with established policies, regulations, and procedures to maintain order and provide for the security, care, and direct supervision of inmates/residents in housing units. Inmates require supervision at meals, during recreation, on work assignments, and during all other phases of activity in a correctional facility. Some correctional officers today are trained to use weapons, but most are not armed with weapons inside institutions or forced to maintain discipline and order. This career includes features related to court procedures, firearms training, hostage situations, first aid/CPR, legal issues, inmate rights, non-violent crisis intervention, and use of restraints and force.
Court Liaison
A court liaison is responsible for the coordination of the activities of the police department and the criminal court system. The court liaison also handles all requests for evidence, additional documentation and follow-up by the State’s Attorney’s Office as requested. The court liaison handles the receipt, logging, and issuance of all subpoenas from the State’s Attorney’s Office, and is responsible for notifying an officer as to whether he or she must appear in court. The court liaison is responsible for supervising, guiding, and instructing members while appearing at court. Additionally, they coordinate the preparation, examination, and presentation to the court of all documents and instruments submitted by the police department.
Forensic Treatment
In the forensic treatment area, counselors typically provide services to inmates and ex-offenders in various living units. This includes sex offender treatment, drug education, crisis intervention, resolution of family problems, and assistance with problems that may arise because of incarceration. Counselors also may direct programs to help reduce recidivism rates. In addition, forensic treatment can focus on dual diagnosis programs, where counselors provide treatment to inmates who have both mental health and substance abuse disorders.
Jury Consultation
Jury consultants are responsible for carrying out the day-to-day jury research and strategic graphics responsibilities. Some examples of these responsibilities include reading case materials, constructing questionnaires, coordinating the recruitment of mock jurors, facilitating focus-group panels, writing analyses of findings, and developing analytical graphics. Jury consultants also are responsible for the overall project management of research and graphics engagements (i.e., organizing, monitoring, and managing research events and graphics meetings).
Juvenile Offenders
Work with the juvenile offender population can encompass a variety of jobs. There are residential programs that include diagnosis, assessment, and treatment planning. Counselors may have the opportunity to provide therapy to clients and their families in their home and in community settings. These types of jobs allow a counselor to provide therapy and skills to individuals, groups, and families. The provision of therapeutic services includes anger management, conflict resolution, substance-abuse treatment and relapse prevention, abuse victims counseling, and life-skills training. Additionally, many programs for juvenile offenders offer multi-disciplinary treatment, so forensic counselors collaborate with art, music, and movement therapists. There also are several opportunities to act as a court liaison with this population.
Law Enforcement
Some law enforcement psychologists work as a part of the police force or as a part-time consultant. These professionals sometimes help select law enforcement personnel. Law enforcement psychologists are often trained to assist in crisis intervention, including suicide and post-trauma. Other duties include research and development of police training programs, personnel management, stress management, and referral of departmental personnel and their families for counseling or specialized treatment.
Probation/Parole/Supervised Release/Transitional
Jobs within this field typically center on reducing recidivism rates and aiding inmates in re-entering society. Counselors work with their clients around matters such as child support, parenting concerns, educational training, and vocational training (i.e,. resume development, job placement, interview techniques). In addition, counselors assist their clients by teaching skills and creating opportunities and resources to help clients practice and maintain these skills.
Research
A forensic psychologist may chose to solely focus his or her career on research, ranging from examination of eyewitness testimony to learning how to improve interrogation methods. Some researchers are devoted to developing and examining the utility of specialized tests that are designed to assist in assessment of persons in legal settings (e.g., instruments designed to assess criminal defendants' capacity to participate in the criminal justice process). Others examine the effectiveness of various treatments with different kinds of populations (e.g., efficacy of specialized treatment for sex offenders or batterers). Still others study the impact of abuse or victimization, or the factors that put people at risk for violent behavior, criminal behavior, or victimization.
Sex Offenders
Jobs with the sex offender population include conducting assessments, providing individual, family and group therapy, and planning a community discharge. Other job duties in this area center on conducting extensive interviews and evaluations with clients and their families. As with all aspects of forensic psychology, counselors actively work to lower recidivism rates with this population.
Substance Abuse
Substance abuse services can be provided on an inpatient or outpatient basis. This can include treatment in correctional settings, transitional living programs (i.e., Safer Foundation, Salvation Army), or special recovery homes. Possible careers include substance abuse treatment, prevention education, crisis interventions, evaluation and assessment. Careers within correctional settings typically focus on rehabilitating the inmate with substance abuse issues for life-after-release. Rehabilitation can include life skills training and vocational development, as well as providing treatment referrals to the inmate upon release into the community.
Victim Advocacy
Victim advocates provide confidential, accessible support and advocacy to victims/survivors, their partners, friends, and family members. They help by providing education and prevention strategies and promoting social change. In addition, victim advocates provide crisis intervention, safety planning and shelter referral, and accompany victims through exams and court procedures.
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