Although we all have our own understanding of what crime is and what it entails, the Criminal Psychologist Diploma Course provides a definition of crime and crime prevalence and looks at why criminal activity is on the rise and the types of crime that exist. As you study this online criminal psychology course, you’ll delve deeper into the subject, exploring the psychological, social and economic aspects of criminal behaviour before learning about forensic criminology and its importance and use in society.

Another important subject, Forensic Psychology, is covered. You will learn what it is, how it helps in the understanding and preventing of crime, and how it interacts with the law and other legal areas. You will discover why Forensic Psychology plays such a pivotal role in the courtroom for the defence and other legal attorneys.

Criminal Psychologists understand criminals and their behaviours, their intentions and reactions. This course explains the roles, both in an investigation and in the courtroom, and the scope and future, of those working in this career.

When conducting psychological research, it is important to remain as objective as possible so that the results are not swayed by individual judgement, biases or anecdotal facts. To ensure your understanding of correct research methodology, you will learn the ‘scientific method’ of research – gaining the knowledge of how researchers and psychologists collect data, perform detailed analysis and reach conclusions from their experiments.

Getting to the root of criminality, the Criminal Psychologist Diploma Course talks you through the theories behind criminal acts. Theories covered include: Biological and Physiological, Cognitive Theories, Behavioural Theories, Self-Control Theory, and Psychodynamic Theories

When interviewing a suspect, it can be difficult to keep your own feelings and bias under control but it is important to ensure they are unaware of all that you know or suspect. You will discover how criminal psychologists can struggle with the conflict between gut feelings and evidence, and how to make an unbiased and correct decision.

The role of a criminal psychologist doesn’t begin and end with those who have broken the law but also includes working with victims and witnesses. You’ll learn how to work with a victim to extract vital information and how to detect false accusations, along with understanding the reasons they may do this. A victim may also be in need of psychological help especially if they have been subject to violent or aggressive behaviour; you’ll find out how a criminal psychologist can provide support.

Another important person in a case is the witness. As a criminal psychologist, it will be part of your role to interview witnesses and assess credibility and reliability. Through studying the Criminal Psychologist Diploma Course you’ll learn how to detect lies, false information, false testimonies, find any links to the suspect or the victim that can bias their information, and gain an understanding of the reliability of memory.

The work done by a criminal psychologist at crime scenes and with suspects, victims and witnesses culminates in an appearance at court. You will learn what role a criminal psychologist plays in court and how witnesses and expert witnesses can affect a jury’s decision.