You'll use your specialist knowledge of psychological theory and criminal behaviour to:

• support police investigations through criminal profiling
• support prison staff and other professionals in the welfare or criminal and civil justice systems
• carry out research to improve and develop professional practice

You'll work with offenders to help them understand and overcome their problems and behaviour patterns. In this role you'll:

• prepare risk assessments for offenders
• advise on the best location for prisoners
• develop treatment and rehabilitation programmes
• provide psychological therapy
• offer expert advice to parole boards, mental health tribunals and courts
• produce formal written reports
• help to write policies and strategies
• train and mentor new psychologists
• find ways to reduce stress and improve life inside prisons

You could work at a police station, in an NHS or private hospital or in a prison.

Your working environment may be emotionally demanding and you'll travel often.

You could go on to run a prison psychology department, move into a policy and strategy-based role or a management post, focusing on specific issues.

You could also move into freelance and consultancy work, for example as an expert witness.