Job prospects are favourable for psychology graduates globally
Dr. Gavin Oxburgh is Associate Professor (Reader in Applied Forensic Psychology), Newcastle University, UK and Director of the Newcastle Forensic Psychology Research Group. In an interview, he shares his views on forensic psychology, crime management and psychiatry. Edited excerpts: What in your opinion is the future of psychology? I believe psychology in general will continue to expand, especially in terms of eyewitness testimony involving cases of disputed memory (including false and recovered memory). One just needs to think about some very high profile cases of child sexual abuse in the UK and across the world, specifically Jimmy Savile and Rolf Harris. Why did it take the authorities so long to prosecute, why did the victims not come forward quicker, and could more evidence have been obtained by the police and legal authorities? These are all questions with a psychological element that forensic psychologists could have assisted in from the beginning.
In addition, in a world where (in places) physical and psychological torture appears to be acceptable, there is an ever-growing body of academic literature that is showing the ineffectiveness of such techniques in eliciting relevant and accurate information from interviewees. Also, there is a moral and ethical argument that shows the immorality of such techniques which is contrary to a person’s human rights, regardless of what crime they have been accused. What are the job prospects for students who specialise in forensic psychology and crime management? Job prospects are favourable. In the UK, the largest employers of forensic psychologists are Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), followed by the National Health Service. There are also Forensic Psychologists, like myself, who work in academic institutions, but conduct expert witness work with police and law enforcement agencies. What are the ways in which psychology can help with cybercrime and cloudcrime? Cyber-, and cloud-crime are relatively new concepts and law enforcement agencies are struggling to deal with the consequences of this worldwide phenomenon. Everybody agrees that it exists, but not everybody agrees what it is!
The advent of digital and networked technologies has meant for criminals. It now allows criminals to commit over 50 million, £1 thefts (at a lower risk) rather than a single £50 million theft at an obviously far higher risk. We believe that this transformation means that, in theory, the average person can now commit many crimes simultaneously on a global level an entirely new, and somewhat terrifying, concept to deal with for policing/lawenforcement agencies. Thus, there is an urgent need for digital and networking forensic experts (psychologists, criminologists and computer experts ) to better understand the process by which these crimes take place. Without such understanding, international lawenforcement agencies have little hope of successfully making an impact. We believe there are significant areas where psychology can assist, for example in the role of online communities, cyber-criminal motivations and digital investigations.