PTE Reading MC Single Answer: First off, what is a forensic psychologist? Forensic psychologists are most commonly li…

First off, what is a forensic psychologist? Forensic psychologists are most commonly licensed psychologists who specialize in applying psychological knowledge to legal matters, both in the criminal and civil arenas. Forensic psychology is a sub-discipline of psychology. It has its own professional organizations, training programs, and research journals. Forensic psychologists are found in academia, public service, and the private sector. Forensic psychologists assist in a wide variety of legal matters, including mental state examinations of criminal defendants, child custody/ family law, violence risk assessment, and mediation or dispute resolution. The growth of forensic psychology is not without controversy. Some accuse forensic psychologists of being hired guns who can be paid to parrot a certain opinion. Recent court decisions are causing increasing scientific scrutiny of psychological evidence. This in turn is leading to the development of increasingly rigorous training programs, instruments, and procedures that will allow us to withstand such adversarial scrutiny. In the long run, well-trained forensic psychologists will fare well in the increasingly skeptical and demanding marketplace of the future.