Criminal Psychology vs. Forensic Psychology: What’s the Difference?

Forensic psychology and criminal psychology are often portrayed interchangeably in TV shows and films — but in reality, they’re distinct fields that require different skills, lead down various career paths, and have other applications within the legal system. 

The role of a criminal psychologist is to analyze patterns in criminal behavior, identify the social or environmental factors behind crime, and develop theories that explain why certain individuals commit offenses. Forensic psychology, on the other hand, is focused on bridging the gap between psychology and law. Among other tasks, a forensic psychologist ensures that psychological factors are appropriately considered in legal decision-making processes.

Table of Contents

• Understanding Criminal Psychology
• Understanding Forensic Psychology
• Differences Between Criminal Psychology and Forensic Psychology
• Career Opportunities
• Advance Your Career

How else do these fields differ, and which is right for you? This guide for students breaks down some of the key differences between criminal and forensic psychology, including: 

• The scope and definition of forensic vs. criminal psychology 
• What criminal and forensic psychologists do 
• Settings in which forensic and criminal psychologists work 
• Essential skills and education requirements for criminal vs. forensic psychologists
• Potential career paths to explore in the forensic and criminal psychology fields

Understanding Criminal Psychology 

Before comparing career opportunities or education requirements, it’s important to establish clear definitions for criminal psychology and forensic psychology. Let’s begin by exploring what criminal psychology means, then dive into some typical job duties and work environments for criminal psychologists. 

Definition and Scope 

Criminal psychology is a specialized area within the broader psychology field that studies the thoughts, behaviors, and intentions of people who commit criminal acts. Criminal psychologists focus on understanding why individuals commit crimes, analyzing patterns of criminal behavior, and conducting criminal profiling. Criminal psychologists study the personal motives and social circumstances that contribute to crime, gaining insights into preventing or treating these behaviors while enhancing the speed and accuracy of offender apprehension.

Criminal psychologists often work closely with law enforcement agencies to develop offender profiles and understand the psychological factors driving criminal acts, from financial crimes like fraud to violent felonies like murder. They also collaborate with attorneys, corrections officers, and other members of the legal and justice systems. 

Roles and Responsibilities 

As a criminal psychologist, your roles and responsibilities will vary depending on your employer, experience level, and the specifics of each case you handle. With that in mind, here are some typical tasks and job duties that a criminal psychologist performs: 

• Conducting research into criminal behavior, such as researching how childhood experiences, mental health, or social factors influence crime
• Consulting with law enforcement agencies, such as assisting with interrogations or helping to develop strategies for crime prevention 
• Performing psychological assessments of criminal suspects
• Providing expert testimony, which involves appearing in court to present your findings and opinions on the psychological dimensions of a case 
• Developing personalized, evaluation-based treatment plans that address the psychological issues underlying criminal behavior, such as anger management, substance abuse, emotional disorders, or childhood trauma 

Work Settings 

Criminal psychologists have the potential to work in a wide variety of settings and environments. Some examples include, but aren’t limited to: 

• Academic institutions like colleges or universities 
• Correctional facilities like federal prisons or county jails
• County or city police departments
• Federal law enforcement agencies like the FBI, DEA, or Secret Service 
• Mental health facilities 
• Research organizations
• Victim support organizations like the National Center for Victims of Crime

Understanding Forensic Psychology

The American Psychological Association (APA) defines forensic psychology as the area of psychology where human behavior and mental health intersect with legal matters, such as a parent’s fitness for custody or a lawsuit alleging wrongful death. The APA also notes that forensic psychologists work within various sub-disciplines, including “clinical, developmental, social, cognitive) when applying the scientific, technical, or specialized knowledge of psychology to the law.” 

Definition and Scope 

In addition to the example above, the APA also gives another, slightly simpler definition of forensic psychology: “a specialty in professional psychology characterized by activities primarily intended to provide professional psychological expertise within the judicial and legal systems.” 

Unlike criminal psychology, which focuses (as its name suggests) on criminals and their acts, forensic psychology intersects with criminal and civil law. Instead of being limited strictly to misdemeanors and felonies, forensic psychology reaches into family law, personal injury, and even policymaking. 

As a result, forensic psychologists are involved in a broader range of activities within the legal system, from assessing the credibility of witnesses to providing expert testimony in custody or divorce cases. The scope of forensic psychology includes:

• Assessing the competency of defendants to stand trial.
• Evaluating proposed child custody arrangements.
• Providing therapy to both victims and perpetrators of crimes.
• Consulting on policy development within the justice system. 

Roles and Responsibilities 

As a forensic psychologist, you’ll be responsible for a wide range of tasks and duties depending on what types of criminal and/or civil cases you’re involved in. Here are a few examples of what your roles and responsibilities as a forensic psychologist might look like: 

• Conducting research related to forensic psychology, such as researching issues like eyewitness accuracy, jury selection, or the psychological impact of trauma 
• Providing expert testimony in civil and criminal court cases
• Providing lawyers, judges, and police departments with guidance on the psychological aspects of legal strategies and procedures, such as criminal profiling practices and interrogation techniques 
• Providing psychological counseling to victims and offenders 
• Psychologically evaluating witnesses, defendants, plaintiffs, and/or victims in order to assess issues like competency for trial, potential for recidivism (reoffending), and the likelihood of successful rehabilitation  

Work Settings 

While both professions may work in or with correctional facilities and law enforcement agencies, forensic psychologists tend to have more diverse employment opportunities due to the broader nature of the role — which, as noted earlier, deals with both criminal and civil matters. Here are a few examples of common workplace environments for forensic psychologists: 

• Correctional facilities, like detention centers and federal prisons 
• Law firms 
• Private practices and consultancy services 
• State or federal government agencies, such as the Forensic Assessment Division (FAD) of the Board of Parole Hearings (BPH) within the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation 
• Various types of district and federal courts, including criminal courts, family courts, juvenile courts, and even tax courts or bankruptcy courts 

Differences Between Criminal Psychology and Forensic Psychology

Criminal and forensic psychology both operate at the intersection of psychology and law, but they differ in key ways. While the fields may seem similar at first glance, their goals, objectives, required educational paths, and career opportunities are notably distinct.

Focus and Objectives 

Criminal psychology primarily seeks to understand and profile criminal behavior. By contrast, forensic psychology applies psychological principles more broadly across the legal system. While criminal psychology is tightly focused on identifying the circumstances, factors, and motives that cause or contribute to crime, forensic psychology has a wider range of legal applications. For instance, forensic psychologists might influence jury selection, evaluate an accident witness’ credibility, or interview the parents involved in a child custody dispute. 

The overall goal of criminal psychology is twofold: improve techniques for identifying and apprehending criminal offenders and reduce or prevent crime by understanding its root causes. Forensic psychology shares similar goals but also extends beyond criminal cases and aims to ensure that the mental health aspects of lawsuits and trials are handled appropriately.  

Scope of Work 

Criminal psychology is a highly specialized discipline that focuses strictly on criminal behavior and profiling techniques. In comparison, forensic psychology has a broader scope that extends to both criminal and civil legal matters. That means criminal psychologists work exclusively on criminal investigations, where their chief role is to analyze and predict offenders’ behavior patterns. Forensic psychologists, on the other hand, perform tasks that range from making child custody recommendations to researching litigation strategies. 

Educational and Career Pathways 

Roles within the forensic and criminal psychology fields typically require a graduate degree at minimum, such as a master’s degree in psychology. However, the specific coursework and training differ by role and degree type. 

For example, a criminal psychology degree or specialization tends to focus on topics and skills like criminal profiling, psychopathology and criminal behavior, investigative psychology, and risk assessment. By comparison, forensic psychology programs are more likely to cover topics like psychological assessments, ethics in forensic practice, expert testimony, and the legal implications of various diagnoses. 

Some students who aspire to criminal psychology roles opt to pursue degrees or certifications in related fields, such as criminal justice or criminology. After earning a master’s degree, some decide to pursue a doctorate, which can greatly enhance employability and earning potential. It’s also important to keep in mind that California generally requires psychologists to hold doctorate degrees as a precursor to obtaining their license.  

Students who want to pursue a career in forensic psychology will typically require training in clinical psychology with a focus on legal applications. For many roles, doctorate-level education is preferred or mandatory. Depending on how much of your education you’ve already completed, some degree options that are relevant to forensic psychology include the Master of Science in Forensic Psychology (MSFP) and the Doctor of Clinical Psychology (Psy-D), particularly Psy-D programs that allow students to specialize in forensic psychology. 

Career Opportunities in Criminal and Forensic Psychology 

There are numerous job titles and specialization areas to explore within the fields of both criminal and forensic psychology. We’ve highlighted seven examples below, including: 

1. Academic instructor
2. Criminal profiler
3. Expert witness 
4. Forensic evaluator 
5. Law enforcement consultant 
6. Legal consultant 
7. Researcher 

Criminal Psychology Careers 

There are a number of careers to consider within the broader field of criminal psychology:

• College or University Professor — If you’re passionate about both criminal justice and education, you can combine your interests by becoming a college or university professor and passing down your expertise to aspiring criminal psychologists.

• Criminal Profiler — As the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) explains, criminal profilers are special agents with additional training, certification, and expertise in specialized fields such as investigating bomb threats or arson. 

• Criminal Psychology Researcher — In this role, you’ll analyze existing studies and conduct your own original research to advance the criminal psychology field, exploring topics like the impact of mental disorders or environmental factors on human behavior.

• Law Enforcement Consultant — As a law enforcement consultant, you’ll provide police officers, detectives, and other federal agents with psychological insights into criminal profiling, investigative techniques, and how to analyze offender behavior. 

Forensic Psychology Careers 

Forensic psychologists have opportunities to work in both the public and private sectors, where they occupy roles in correctional facilities, courts, legal practices, and private practices. Here are a few professional doorways that a forensic psychology degree can open for you: 

• Expert Witness — As an expert witness in civil or criminal proceedings, you’ll give courtroom testimony and analyze psychological details that are pertinent to the case. For example, some of your duties might include conducting mental state evaluations, performing competency assessments, or determining the credibility of eyewitnesses.

• Forensic Evaluator — Forensic evaluators, who frequently work as independent contractors, complete court-ordered evaluations of individuals involved in legal cases, such as criminal defendants or the parties in a divorce case. The American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA) offers credentials in forensic evaluation. 

• Legal Consultant — As a consultant, you’ll work closely with attorneys and law firms, providing them with expert input on cases that involve mood or emotional disorders, questions of psychological fitness, or other mental health issues. 

Advance Your Career with a Master of Science Degree in Forensic Psychology

Whether you find yourself drawn to either the field of forensic or criminal psychology, at National University, you’ll find regionally- and APA-accredited programs to help you move the needle on your career goals. The JFK School of Psychology and Social Sciences offers doctoral, graduate, and undergraduate degree programs with flexible learning options for students, like online courses, night and weekend classes, and accelerated study. 

Explore degree programs like the Master of Science in Forensic Psychology (MSFP), Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration (BSCJA), or Doctor of Clinical Psychology (Psy-D) with a Specialization in Correctional and Forensic Psychology. Contact our admissions office for additional program information, or take the first step today by starting your application online.