FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES

Forensic psychology is the field where psychology intersects with the justice, legal, or correctional systems. Forensic psychology refers to the application of psychological knowledge, skills, and research to address legal, contractual, and administrative matters. There are a number of branches of forensic psychology including criminal forensic psychology, civil forensic psychology, and family forensic psychology. A psychologist who practices in criminal forensic psychology is often engaged to assess the risk for re-offending, assess and diagnose mental health conditions and the risk for suicide, assess and treat criminal behaviours, develop and implement offender treatment and rehabilitation programs, conduct forensic client profiling, provide expert witness testimony, and contribute to policy and strategy development for forensic services.

A psychologist who practices in civil forensic psychology is often involved in the assessment of psychological factors resulting from injury due to stress, trauma, and pain, and the assessment of pre-incident functioning, current or interim functioning, contributory negligence, intervening factors, and future functioning. A family forensic psychologist will often be involved in evaluations of child custody, visitation risk, child abuse, parental rights, and adoption readiness. A forensic psychologist interacts with clients who are involved with judicial or legal systems, the Courts, professionals in the legal system (legal advocates, attorneys, Crown prosecutor, and judges) and correctional system (sheriffs, police officers, parole officers, peace officers, correctional service workers).