There are four roles of a forensic psychologist that one can partake in within the legal system: a basic scientist, an applied scientist, a policy/forensic evaluators, and a consultant. Each of these roles consists of different responsibilities that crucial to all areas of the legal system such as law enforcement, corrections, and in court. As a psychologist within the legal system, one will encounter many settings as well as individuals specific to your role whether that be gathering information and applying it to help victims of crime, evaluation mental illness that contributed to crime, or consulting the prosecution or defendants on trial for a crime. Since the roles of a psychologist in the legal system can be very complex, many ethical
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Both the basic scientist and the applied scientists deal with evaluations within their roles on a fundamental level, however, the third role of psychology (a policy or forensic evaluator) performs evaluations and assessments in-depth within each level of the legal system. An evaluator has a key role in law enforcement agencies to help departments determine effectiveness of patrols and policies, community interventions, and hiree programs. An evaluator may assess current patrols and surveillance of high crime areas to determine if there needs to be an increase in presence. They may also work with police departments to help assess and implement strategies to improve police and community relations as well as assess new employees to see if they are right for they are mentally and physically right for the agency. Within the corrections environment, one of the most important responsibilities of a policy evaluator is to examine programs in order to determine if any changes need to be implemented within the rehabilitation centers, community transitional programs, or supervision protocol of inmates. They may also evaluate an offender’s mental state, gang or drug activity, and well as likely hood to reoffend. Lastly, an evaluator can evaluate and help determine how effective sentences, pleas, or procedures can be within the court system (Green & Heilbrun, 2013). The psychologist may be asked to
Both the basic scientist and the applied scientists deal with evaluations within their roles on a fundamental level, however, the third role of psychology (a policy or forensic evaluator) performs evaluations and assessments in-depth within each level of the legal system. An evaluator has a key role in law enforcement agencies to help departments determine effectiveness of patrols and policies, community interventions, and hiree programs. An evaluator may assess current patrols and surveillance of high crime areas to determine if there needs to be an increase in presence. They may also work with police departments to help assess and implement strategies to improve police and community relations as well as assess new employees to see if they are right for they are mentally and physically right for the agency. Within the corrections environment, one of the most important responsibilities of a policy evaluator is to examine programs in order to determine if any changes need to be implemented within the rehabilitation centers, community transitional programs, or supervision protocol of inmates. They may also evaluate an offender’s mental state, gang or drug activity, and well as likely hood to reoffend. Lastly, an evaluator can evaluate and help determine how effective sentences, pleas, or procedures can be within the court system (Green & Heilbrun, 2013). The psychologist may be asked to