Criminal psychology

For the science pertaining to the intersection between psychology and the legal system, see Forensic psychology.

Criminal psychology, also referred to as criminological psychology, is the study of the views, thoughts, intentions, actions and reactions of criminals and suspects. It is a subfield of criminology and applied psychology. The field aims to understand why individuals commit crimes and how psychological principles can be used to prevent criminal behavior and assist the justice system.

Criminal psychologists have many roles within legal courts, including being called upon as expert witnesses and performing psychological assessments on victims and those who have engaged in criminal behavior. They may also assist law enforcement agencies during investigations by offering behavioral insights on suspects. Several definitions are used for criminal behavior, including behavior punishable by public law, behavior considered immoral, behavior violating social norms or traditions, or acts causing severe psychological harm. Criminal behavior is often considered antisocial in nature. Psychologists also help with crime prevention and study the different types of programs that are effective to prevent recidivism, and understanding which mental disorders criminals are likely to have.

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