Criminal Psychology - a niche specialty in the psychology spectrum

Students interested in law enforcement or investigative careers often look for degrees in criminal justice with a concentration in forensic psychology. Aspiring psychologists who plan to counsel victims and/or offenders may opt for psychology or counseling degrees with concentrations in criminal justice or forensic psychology.
Common criminal justice concentrations include the following:
Crime scene investigation
Forensic psychology
Homeland security
Juvenile justice
Law enforcement
Available psychology program concentrations may include:
Forensic psychology
Criminology
Criminal justice

Bachelors
Traditionally paced bachelor’s programs in criminal justice typically require about 120 credits and take four years to complete. Graduates can pursue jobs such as victim advocate, crime analyst, or correctional case manager. Bachelor’s degrees related to criminal psychology include:
BS in criminal justice
BS in psychology with a forensic psychology concentration
BS in criminology and criminal justice

Masters
Criminal psychology-related master’s programs typically require applicants to hold
1) a bachelor’s degree with evidence of coursework in related fields.
2) GRE scores, letters of recommendation, and related professional experience.
Traditional master’s programs take about two years to complete and include supervised internship experiences. Potential criminal justice-related master’s degrees include:
MS in criminal justice
MBA with specialization in criminal justice
MS in criminology

PhD Credit requirements vary, but many criminal justice-related Ph.D programs entail 90-130 credits, including a dissertation project, and take between 4-6 years to complete. Graduates typically pursue careers as forensic psychologists. Titles vary for doctoral programs in this field, but may include:
Ph.D. in criminal justice
Ph.D. in justice, law, and criminology
Ph.D. in forensic psychology

Profiling of criminals or offenders is their main role- this includes assessing their mental state to provide a psychological analysis. By examining evidence at a crime scene, they can determine the probable mental characteristics of the perpetrator of a specific crime. Their other role could be to work with criminals who have been apprehended, to help determine the motivations for their crimes and if they will repeat the offence if released. Others work with attorneys for the prosecution or defense, describing the criminal’s actions to help incarcerate or exonerate the individual.

Criminal psychologists require specialized set of skills and a diverse base of knowledge, including:
Exhaustive understanding of psychology principles
Understanding of the criminal justice system and the legal process
Ability to work with officers of the law, attorneys, and criminals
A strong mental make-up as they could likely witness gruesome crime scenes
Ability to assess empirical evidence and draw meaningful conclusions
Remain calm, compassionate, and nonjudgmental, strong sense of logic and ethics
Excellent communication skills

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, psychologists can expect to make an average of $75,000 Jobs for psychologists are growing at an estimated rate of 19 percent between 2014 and 2024, which is significantly faster than the rest of the job market. The good news is that criminal psychologists are likely to find employment in the field if they receive the right training.