Forensic Psychology is a term that takes on different meanings in different contexts and countries. Its origins derive from the general use of 'forensic' to indicate any service to the courts. However, in recent years the range of areas of psychology regarded as 'forensic' has broadened considerably. In some parts of the USA, for example, any psychologist who has any dealings with crime, criminals, or law enforcement may call what they do forensic psychology. However, these uses of the term to describe a general area of psychological activity should not be confused with the professional description that is controlled in the UK by the British Psychological Society (BPS). Only people who are full members of the Division of Forensic (DFP) of the BPS are eligible by law to put the description Chartered Forensic Psychologist after their name, or just CPsychol.

The original use of the term in the UK grows out of the work of Clinical Psychologists who work with patients that have reached them through the legal process. They work in special hospitals, secure units, youth treatment centres and forensic psychology or psychiatry sections of the NHS. These clinical forensic psychologists have a postgraduate clinical psychology qualification and then go on to specialise in working with patients from a criminal context. This could be a wide range of patients, including drug addicts, arsonists, sex offenders and other violent people. Some of these clinicians also offer opinions in court about the accused's fitness to plead or diminished responsibility, or give advice on dangerousness in relation to probation enquiries. Often such practitioners call themselves Forensic Psychologists, even though their approach is strongly rooted in clinical psychology.

The number is now increasing, though, of psychologists who have professional responsibilities relating to crime, criminals, the police and the legal system, who are not necessarily clinical psychologists by training. They are employed in a variety of settings, such as prisons, probation, and social services. There they are engaged in the assessment and treatment of offenders and the planning and development of services. They also advise on selection and training in these settings and provide various support and counselling services.

Within police forces an increasing number of psychologists similarly contribute to selection, training and counselling services as well as acting as crime analysts and helping in other ways to detect criminals and prepare behavioural information that will support a case in court. Furthermore, an increasing number are employed as freelance consultants who provide the full range of services indicated above and in addition assist commercial organisations in psychological aspects of crime and crime prevention. There are, in addition, a number of research groups in government and academic research units who employ psychologists to study criminal and legal matters.

Full membership of the DFP and thus Chartered Forensic Psychologist status require in addition to Graduate Basis for Registration either an approved postgraduate qualification along with supervised experience in at least one of the relevant settings mentioned above, covering a total training period equivalent to three years full-time, or postgraduate training and experience that the DFP considers to be equivalent.

Terms such as 'police psychologist', 'criminal psychologist', 'prison psychologist', 'investigative psychologist' or 'offender profiler', or even 'criminologist', include people who currently may or may not be Chartered Forensic Psychologists. In the UK they are only entitled to call themselves such if they are full members of the DFP. Until it is only such people who refer to their activities as 'forensic psychology' the confusions in the use of this term will continue.

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