Forensic Psychology

The Intrinsic World of Forensic Psychology

Mention the words ‘forensic psychology’ and most people will immediately conjure up images of serial killers, courtesy of Silence of the Lambs. While this practice certainly plays a very important role in riveting cases of this nature, it is a much wider field of interest that can be applied in many ways and for many purposes.

To define forensic psychology it is useful to look at the meaning of the words. We are all familiar with psychology and know that it refers to a study of the soul or mind. The word forensic comes from the Latin forensis, which literally means appertaining to the forum, specifically the imperial court of Rome. It is therefore clear that this area of expertise is where there is an intersection between psychology and the criminal justice system. It can be better worded as follows: “That branch of applied psychology which is concerned with the collection, examination and presentation of evidence for judicial purposes” (Haward 1981).

While this certainly narrows the field, this definition can still include a number of professionals, including psychologists in the prison/correctional services, clinical psychologists in special hospitals and the psychiatric services, educational psychologists, occupational psychologists and academics.

Forensic psychology is often used to assist victims of crimes. It also includes services such as psychological evaluations, mental status evaluation, full forensic assessments, expert witness testimony, and pre-sentencing reports. The prediction of criminal patterns is by far the most glamorised section of this profession, largely due to movies and television. But forensic psychology is an integral weapon in other areas of justice too. This is the field of knowledge that is often required to verify the credibility of a subpoenaed witness or to assess a defendant’s competency to stand trial. The court also frequently appoints a forensic psychologist to assess the state of mind of the defendant at the time of the offence.

Kobus Coetzee is a Clinical Psychologist and Psychotherapist in private practice in Centurion. He provides psychological services including psychotherapy and counselling for individuals and couples, and is also proficient in forensic psychology. When looking for a professional clinical psychologist, be sure to contact him.