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Published 24 Apr 2023

What Roles Can I Do with a Criminal Psychology Qualification?

by Emily Atkinson-Dalton

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Criminal psychology is a fascinating subject which delves into the mind and behaviour of people who have committed crimes, the victims of crimes and the treatment of those in the criminal justice system. 

Alongside being a very interesting and important subject to explore, gaining a qualification in criminal psychology opens up a whole variety of job roles which suit those who are interested in learning about and helping other people. Find out more about some of these popular jobs you can get with a qualification in criminal psychology.




Forensic Psychologist

Forensic psychology (sometimes referred to as criminal psychology) relates closely to criminal psychology in that it explores criminal law and helps people in the criminal justice system. However, whilst criminal psychology is broader and focuses more heavily on criminal behaviour, forensic psychology focuses on law enforcement, criminal profiling, supporting those in prisons, carrying out research and working with victims of crime.

What Does a Forensic Psychologist do?

  • Implements treatment programmes to help offenders and reduce re-offending rates
  • Carries out research into the psychology of criminal behaviour to effectively support prisoners, offenders and victims of crime
  • Supports victims of crime through psychological therapies and treatment programmes
  • Gives evidence in court cases and criminal investigations
  • Advises in tribunals, parole boards and mental health reviews
  • Researches and gives advice on improving prisons and young offender environments
  • Carries out statistical analysis for prisoner profiling

How to Become a Forensic Psychologist in Ireland

In order to succeed as a forensic psychologist, having a criminal psychology qualification can be very useful. A qualification such as a psychology degree with a specialisation in criminal psychology is a great foundation for a career as a forensic psychologist in Ireland. Following your bachelor’s degree, you will need a master’s degree in forensic psychology in order to become a forensic psychologist. 




Social Worker

Social workers are essential to supporting vulnerable people in society, assessing their needs and helping them to find solutions to their problems. As a social worker, you will work with vulnerable people such as vulnerable children, the elderly, families in crisis, adults with disabilities, mental health issues or learning disabilities, people with substance use problems, refugees, carers or other people who need support. 

What Does a Social Worker do?

  • Visits clients on a one-to-one basis and discuss their needs/situation
  • Writes up client assessments and evaluations
  • Organises, manages and implements support for clients
  • Liaises with other departments and make referrals for clients
  • Makes recommendations and decisions about the best steps to take
  • Gives evidence in court

How to Become a Social Worker

 A criminal psychology degree or qualification can significantly help in a career in social work, as it helps you to understand the issues that your service users might be facing and know how to support them. The issues social workers encounter may relate to criminal psychology, particularly in cases of child neglect or drug abuse, and having knowledge of the psychology behind these human behaviours can help you to support service users in the right way.




Clinical Psychologist

Clinical psychology explores the science of the mind and behaviour of people who are experiencing mental health struggles, psychological dysfunction or distress. As a clinical psychologist, you will work with people who are going through psychological distress and help them to understand and manage their mental health and improve their overall wellbeing. 

What Does a Clinical Psychologist do?

  • Meets with clients and discuss their mental state and their needs. This is often done with the individual and others who care for their needs, e.g. carers, support workers or family members
  • Assesses patients using interview, observation and psychological assessment techniques such as psychometric testing
  • Makes recommendations for a clients treatment to improve their wellbeing and create a treatment plan
  • Implements psychological treatments such as individual therapy, group therapy and counselling
  • Liaise with other organisations or individuals e.g. doctors, psychiatrists and social services

How to Become a Clinical Psychologist in Ireland

If you study a criminal psychology qualification, you will gain insight into how certain mental disorders can affect behaviour and how to help people struggling with those disorders. To become a clinical psychologist, you will need additional qualifications in clinical psychology, including an undergraduate degree or postgraduate degree in psychology accredited by the Psychological Society of Ireland (IPS) and then a postgraduate training programme in clinical psychology. 




Criminologist

What is a criminologist? Well, whilst criminal psychology largely focuses on the mind and behaviour of an individual, criminology explores all aspects of crime, including the societal causes, prevention and control of crime. As a criminologist, you will engage in research into why people commit certain crimes, trends in crime and the effectiveness of aspects of the justice system. You will then use your findings to suggest improvements in the criminal justice system and help police with criminal cases. 

What Does a Criminologist do?

  • Researches the causes of crime and analyse crime data
  • Presents research findings
  • Supports victims of crime through psychological therapies and treatment programmes
  • Advises policymakers on positive changes that can be made to reduce crime and re-offending
  • Assists in crime reduction and rehabilitation programmes for criminal offenders
  • Visits prisons and speak to prisoners and ex-offenders

How to Become a Criminologist in Ireland

A qualification in criminal psychology will, of course, be very useful in a career as a criminologist and through criminal psychology courses in Ireland, you will learn the key skills you need to become a criminologist. Knowing about the psychology behind crime will help in your research as a criminologist and is a major aspect of criminology. Additional courses in law and the legal system can also support you in your career path towards becoming a criminologist.




Wider roles in Psychology

Alongside the popular job roles discussed above, a qualification in criminal psychology can also open the door to several more psychology careers. If you study a criminal psychology course, you will explore several key psychological theories which attempt to explain people’s behaviour as well as how you can help people experiencing problems which can be a great help in several psychology jobs and related fields such as:

  • Youth Worker
  • Prison Officer
  • Probation Officer
  • Police Officer
  • Crime Analyst
  • Victim Advocate
  • Crime Scene Investigator
  • Expert Witness

Studying criminal psychology can open up a whole range of interesting, rewarding and important job roles which help improve the wellbeing of individuals and society as a whole. 





Enrol in a criminal psychology course today, and you can look forward to a range of exciting career options which cater to your interests, whether it’s profiling criminals or assisting with rehabilitation and mental health support.


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