Psychologists in the Legal System: Merging and Avoiding Collisions at the Intersection of Psychology and Law

The American Board of Forensic Psychology broadly defines forensic psychology as “the application of the science and profession of psychology to questions and issues relating to law and the legal system.” There are two major categories of forensic services: one comprised of clinical work and one with a more research-focused approach . In clinical work, the psychologist provides a type of service such as court-ordered treatment or assessment. In research, the psychologist presents to the court scientific principles of human behavior as they relate to various legal considerations. The purpose of this article is to examine the intersections between psychology and law and to discuss the considerations of an expanding forensic psychology field.