The public has developed fanciful ideas about forensic psychology as the science of catching criminals by understanding their thought patterns. Many prospective students also have the impression of forensic psychologists as flying into different states and tracking down criminals through psychological clues. Dr. John Denboer enjoys imagining himself as having such a career, but as a retired professional forensic psychologist, he wants to forward a more realistic definition of forensic psychology. Image source: https://www.theexpertinstitute.com/ The American Psychological Association offers the broad-stroke definition of forensic psychology, saying it revolves around using psychology in the legal field. Some experts and institutions, in a bid to make this applied field grounded and therefore teachable, define it as the use of clinical specializations on legal institutions and the people involved with the law. But the definition Dr. John Denboer is most taken with is the use of p