Psychology is a discipline that presents a very varied horizon of areas of intervention since its constitution as a scientific discipline. Therefore, in recent years, as Psychology has diversified, more and more psychologists decide to train in this branch.
It is an area of specialization in which the relationship between law and the science of behavior is evident: the study of the mind and human behavior has judicial implications to be taken into account, both at a micro (individual) and macro level. (social). But… What are the areas of activity that occur in this branch of Psychology? Here you will find a summary of the functions of Legal Psychology
Over the decades, there are many areas of knowledge and human activity that have used the application of psychological research methods and strategies to solve all types of needs and problems. One of the areas where the use of psychology is essential is the legal field, where knowing and analyzing in depth the behavior of people and their motivations is of great relevance to resolve all types of disputes, clashes of interests and possible cases of commission of crimes. crimes or crimes.
In this sense, Legal Psychology helps to explain the behavior of people, understood as legal actors in the context of law, law and justice.
We can also conceive Legal Psychology as the conjunction between the world of Psychology and Law where its qualified professionals use a great diversity of techniques, instruments and procedures based on scientific evidence and the most up-to-date psychological theories to try to provide an explanation for the psychological processes that have already taken place, or to try to predict to the extent of possible those that could take place in the future.
These two pillars, the understanding of what happened and the description of what could happen, are the facets with the greatest value from a pragmatic point of view, but the information they generate must then be analyzed through the lens of Law. For this reason, psychologists trained in Legal Psychology maintain a technical professional role, and are not involved in making the main decisions in judicial processes. They limit themselves to providing relevant data that must be used by lawyers, judges, prosecutors…
These strategies based on the scientific method serve legal psychology professionals to evaluate, study, understand, advise or treat all types of psychological disorders that influence behavior and relationships between people of all ages, always in an adapted manner. to your needs and characteristics.
Functions of Legal Psychology
Although Legal Psychology has a relatively recent history in most countries, in Spain professionals in this discipline can already perform the following functions in their daily professional performance.
1. Evaluation and diagnosis
Both psychological evaluation and diagnosis are some of the essential functions carried out by legal psychology professionals.
On the one hand, it is common to evaluate and diagnose legal actors immersed in judicial or criminal processes of all types, whose psychological phenomena, behaviors or relationships may be relevant in a legal process of any type. In this context, Psychologists do not act purely as psychotherapists, since their role has to do with serving the judicial process in the first place, and not to the subject who is analyzed.
2. Advice
Advising judges and judicial bodies on issues in which legal psychology professionals have extensive experience is one of the essential functions in any legal procedure.
Both guidance and advice based on conclusions obtained through the scientific method will be crucial in any type of legal procedure to help prove guilt or lack thereof
In addition to that, these professionals can also participate in divorce processes, gender violence, custody, disabilities, or both criminal and civil processes.
3. Psychohealth intervention
Intervention in legal psychology is carried out by planning intervention programs adapted at all times to the needs and specificities of each person who must be intervened.
This psychological intervention will always be carried out with the well-being of the person as the primary objective to improve their quality of life, well-being and both mental, psychological and physical health.
Interventions can be carried out either individually or collectively in the prison context or with the objective of rehabilitating and reintegrating into society any person who has gone through a specific legal process.
4. Research
Legal Psychology is, as has been indicated, a very young discipline in most countries of the world, which is why in most of them a process of research and further study of a wide variety of areas of this branch is required. of psychology. Establishes synergies with sciences such as Criminology, Environmental Psychology, Health Psychology, etc
Research in legal psychology offers a wide variety of different possibilities and areas and all the knowledge obtained usually has a direct practical application.
5. Training
Training and education is essential in legal psychology, as it is also in any other branch of psychology.
Train professionals in the legal system and even members of the State security forces and bodies It is very useful to have the best experts and specialists both in the field of the judiciary and the prosecution as well as in police, lawyers and professionals from penitentiary centers. And it also helps in the drafting of laws by offering relevant information to legislative branch entities.
The development of social prevention campaigns They are always carried out through the use of techniques and knowledge based on scientific evidence and their objective is to inform and instruct the general population in various areas and important issues.
These campaigns can be used to prevent crime in society or to address any problem that concerns society as a whole.
7. Victimology
Victimology is a branch of legal psychology consisting of developing intervention plans to improve the situation of victims of all types and their interaction with the legal system
Greater knowledge in this area of intervention and greater expenditure of public resources to have and train quality professionals will ensure that we have a fairer legal system prepared to address all types of problems for people who are victims of any crime.
8. Mediation
Mediation is another of the functions in which legal psychology professionals specialize and it is one of the most requested alternatives to classic legal processes.
Professionals must know how to channel mediated solutions to conflicts of all kinds between people and also at the family or couple level.
