The key difference between forensic psychology and forensic psychiatry is that an expert in forensic psychiatry (i.e. forensic psychiatrists) gets extensive medical training and has the authority to prescribe drugs but an expert in forensic psychology (forensic psychologist) do not have that authority.
Forensic psychology is a subject which mainly deals with the human behavior with regard to the legal matters. On the other hand, forensic psychiatry is the subject which deals with the diagnosis, investigation and the management of mental illnesses in matters pertaining to law.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Forensic Psychology
3. What is Forensic Psychiatry
4. Similarities Between Forensic Psychology and Forensic Psychiatry
5. Side by Side Comparison – Forensic Psychology vs Forensic Psychiatry in Tabular Form
6. Summary
What is Forensic Psychology?
Psychology is a subject that basically studies the behavior of human beings. Psychologists are thus professionals who deal with human behavior. They do not receive medical training, and their scope of activities includes statistical analysis of data related to both mental and physical behavior and basic psychological testing for any abnormalities in these aspects. Upon identifying any abnormalities, they can direct the patients to psychiatrists for pharmacological and nonpharmacological therapeutic procedures.
Forensic psychology mainly deals with the human behavior with regard to legal matters. Therefore, psychologists have to give their expert opinion on various legal issues in front of the court.
What is Forensic Psychiatry?
Psychiatry is the subject which deals with the diagnosis, investigation and the management of mental illnesses. Moreover, psychiatrists are the professionals who are extensively trained in these aspects. They can order investigations during the process of diagnosis and have the authority to prescribe drugs. In some matters pertaining to law, psychiatrists are ordered to give their expert opinion in front of the court.
There are certain concepts of legal importance that the psychiatrists are required to give their opinion on in the judicial decision-making process.
- Criminal Responsibility
This is to assess whether the accused has the mental capacity to form the criminal intention and to carry out the criminal act.
- Diminished Responsibility
This states when a person kills or is party to a killing of another he shall not be convicted of murder if he was suffering from an abnormality of mind which substantially impairs his mental responsibility for his acts and omissions in relation to the killing.
- In the assessment of one’s capacity to give informed consent for a decision
- Testamentary capacity
- Fitness to plead
What are the Similarities Between Forensic Psychology and Forensic Psychiatry?
- Both fields deal with legal matters regarding human mind and behavior
What is the Difference Between Forensic Psychology and Forensic Psychiatry?
Forensic psychiatry is the subject which deals with the diagnosis, investigation and the management of mental illnesses in matters pertaining to law. In contrast, forensic psychology mainly deals with the human behavior with regard to the legal matters. Moreover, Forensic psychologists do not have the authority to prescribe drugs while forensic psychiatrists have the authority to prescribe drugs.
Summary – Forensic Psychology vs Forensic Psychiatry
In conclusion, forensic psychiatry is the subject which deals with the diagnosis, investigation and the management of mental illnesses in matters pertaining to law. Forensic psychology, on the other hand, mainly deals with the human behavior with regard to the legal matters. Overall, a forensic psychiatrist has the authority to prescribe drugs but a forensic psychologist does not have that authority. This is the major difference between forensic psychology and forensic psychiatry.
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