The Difference Between Forensic Psychiatrists and Forensic Psychologists

In Latin the word “forensic” means “of

the forum”, which was the place where

ancient Romans held court.

In legal proceedings, both forensic

psychiatrists and forensic

psychologists are called upon as

expert witnesses to illuminate issues

involving mental health as far as the

law is concerned.

Both are brought in to advise and

explain the complexities of psychology

and psychiatry to the judge and jury in

an easy to understand way.

fo·ren·sic

fəˈrenzik,-sik

adjective

1.

of, relating to, or denoting the application of

scientific methods and techniques to the

investigation of crime.

"forensic evidence"

noun

1.

scientific tests or techniques used in connection

with the detection of crime.

• Both forensic psychologists and psychiatrists take part in civil and

criminal proceedings, for either the defendants or the plaintiffs.

• They can be called to act as a researcher, advisor, or expert witness.

• They both report on topics like: fabricated illness, mental capability,

and future risk.

• Forensic psychologists and psychiatrists have different focuses but

complete harmonizing tasks; often the two specialties will work

together.

• In the next few pages, we’ll breakdown these two fields separately.

We’ll also dive into the type of education and training that is required

for each.

psy·chi·a·try

si-kahy-uh-tree

noun

1.

the practice or science of diagnosing

and treating mental disorders.

2.

Noun

the branch of medicine concerned wit

h the diagnosis and treatment of ment

al disorders

Forensic psychiatrists evaluate

for the plaintiffs in civil matters

and the defendants in criminal

trials.

In civil litigation, they must

evaluate whether the plaintiff

has a mental health disorder,

and then assess how that

disorder impaired them.

As an expert witness, they will

act more as a teacher for the

jury or judge, explaining how

psychiatry’s processes and

theories relate to the matters at

hand.

They can also be brought into

a case to determine if a person

is faking a mental illness.

psy·chol·o·gy

sahy-kol-uh-jee

noun

1.

the science of the mind or of mental

states and processes.

3.

the sum or characteristics of the

mental states and processes of a

person or class of persons, or of the

mental states and processes involved

in a field of activity: the psychology of

a soldier; the psychology of politics.

Forensic Psychologists will also be brought in for

their expertise in the field of psychology as

pertaining to civil and criminal matters. The

difference is that psychologists rely on

psychometric and neuropsychological testing;

these tests will supply impartial data or

evidence.

Psychometric and neuropsychological testing is

usually supplied to sustain the findings of the

psychiatrists.

If trained, psychologists can perform

neurocognitive and personality evaluations in

children, adolescents and adults, and relay their

findings to the judge or jury.

To become a board certified forensic psychiatrist, one

must complete the following:

• MD medical degree

• 3-year residency in the field of psychiatry

• 1-year fellowship in forensic psychiatry

• Take the forensic psychiatry test offered by

the American Board of Psychiatry and

Neurology

To become a board certified forensic psychologist, one must

complete the following:

• Doctorate

• 100 hours of formal education

• 1,000 hours of experience in addition to more education

• American Board of Professional Psychology will issue the

certification

The primary duty of both of these

professions is to remain completely

neutral and objective, so that all of their

findings and evaluations are accurate.

The finding must be based on

evidence and not skewed by the

relationship between the one being

evaluated and the psychiatrist or

psychologist.

All testimony and proof must be based

solely on the information collected from

interviews, tests and medical

documents.

Both forensic psychologists

and forensic psychiatrists

complete tasks that relate to

the mental health of a person

in either civil or criminal

proceedings.

Psychiatrists mainly deal with

emotional damages and

mental competency.

Psychologists test and

analyze the psychological

responses to sustain the

findings in a legal manner.

Phone: 415-388-8040

Website: http://www.fpamed.com/

Fpamed supplies forensic psychiatric and

psychological testimony based on

evidence to legal proceedings. They have

a highly trained staff including five forensic

psychiatrists and two forensic

neuropsychologists to help provide crucial

information to a jury or judge.

http://www.fpamed.com/

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Summary

• Explore the differences and similarities to

the professions and education

requirements between forensic

psychologists and forensic psychiatrists.

Business

The Difference Between Forensic Psychiatrists and Forensic Psychologists