Who do forensic psychologists work with?

Forensic psychologists work with lawyers, law enforcement professionals, and judges and courts. Here is a closer look at the professionals that forensic psychologists work with:

• Lawyers. Forensic psychologists often work with lawyers in civil and criminal cases. They might assist and collaborate with these professionals by providing expert witness testimony in the courtroom or other legal settings. They might also assist by evaluating the mental state of a victim or defendant that a lawyer is representing.
• Law enforcement professionals. Forensic psychologists often collaborate with law enforcement officials, including police, sheriffs, FBI agents, detectives, and crime scene investigators. Forensic investigators help perform psychological evaluations on suspects, and also help them during the investigations of certain crimes.
• Judges and courts. Forensic psychologists also work with judges and courts. Examples include providing judges with a recommendation of a certain sentence for a convicted felon that has been psychologically evaluated, or evaluating a defendant's competency to stand trial for a crime they have been charged with.