5 Must-Read Books About Forensic Psychology

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5 Great Forensic Psychology Books

  • Essentials of Forensic Psychological Assessment
  • Minds on Trial: Great Cases in Law and Psychology
  • The Anatomy of a Motive
  • Forensic Psychology
  • Investigative Psychology: Offender Profiling and the Analysis of Criminal Action

Forensic psychology is a fascinating field that is perfect for students who are interested in the legal side of psychology. From examining the criminal mind and profiling techniques to understanding court proceedings and documentation requirements, the following books explore many of the aspects of forensic psychology.

1. Essentials of Forensic Psychological Assessment

Written by forensic psychologist Marc Ackerman, this book offers knowledgeable information pertaining to the administration of psychological assessments in the field of forensics. It also discusses the various tools available for use in assessments and provides several interesting case studies as examples. For easy reading, Ackerman's book includes such useful things as highlighted key words and phrases, self-evaluation quizzes, and clear instructions for using current assessment tools.

2. Minds on Trial: Great Cases in Law and Psychology

There are an abundance of forensic psychology books involving concise case studies, and one of the best books in this area today is Minds on Trial: Great Cases in Law and Psychology. Written by Joseph McCann and Charles Ewing, this book examines nearly two dozen cases that made huge impacts on the field of forensic psychology. There are several famous cases discussed in the book including those involving Mike Tyson, Patty Hearst, and Woody Allen. Readers of McCann and Ewing's book most often are left with a better understanding of how forensic psychology is related to legal environments.

3. The Anatomy of a Motive

If you are looking for books about forensic psychology that explore the motives of violent criminals, you will definitely want to read The Anatomy of a Motive. This book was written by FBI Profiler John Douglas who discusses how various motives are related to particular characteristics of violent crimes. In his book, Douglas explores the minds of a broad range of criminals including serial killers, arsonists, mass murderers, bombers, hijackers, and seemingly normal people who suddenly commit violent crimes.

4. Forensic Psychology

Highly regarded by The American Psychological Association, Forensic Psychology is just one of the terrific books written by Dr. Christopher Cronin. Cronin is a licensed clinical psychologist as well as a psychology professor at Saint Leo University. This book is written in textbook style and includes comprehensive information pertaining to such areas of forensic psychology as the ethics of psychology, competency evaluations, psychological assessments, and criminal profiling.

5. Investigative Psychology: Offender Profiling and the Analysis of Criminal Action

Forensic psychology books that discuss criminal profiling are quite popular today, and one of the best books that explores this topic is Investigative Psychology: Offender Profiling and the Analysis of Criminal Action. Written by Donna Youngs and David Canter, this book provides a comprehensive examination of investigative psychology. While this text is geared towards students of forensic psychology, it is also a great reference book that provides excellent investigative reports and research data.

Related Resource: 15 Most Affordable Top Online Master's in Forensic Psychology Degree 2018

Psychology is an intriguing field, and for people who are interested in the legal aspects of psychology, forensics may be the perfect choice. Furthermore, whether you want to explore the psychological traits of violent criminals or learn about the best methods of psychological profiling, there are many fantastic books about forensic psychology available today.