Criminal psychology typically requires a background in psychology, with a focus on abnormal psychology, forensic psychology, and criminal behavior. Additionally, knowledge of criminal justice and criminology can also be beneficial in understanding the legal aspects of the field.

Sobral Cid has written:

'Psicopatologia criminal' -- subject(s): Criminal psychology, Pathological Psychology, Psychology, Pathological

These issues are normally addressed by forensic, or criminal psychologists

A. Daniel Yarmey has written:

'Understanding police and police work' -- subject(s): Criminal psychology, Police, Police psychology

'The psychology of eyewitness testimony' -- subject(s): Criminal Evidence, Eyewitness identification, Forensic psychology, Memory

Crime Psychology is the Psychological Analysis of criminals, and their way of thinking. Criminal Psychologists are often employed by the police to ask the kind of questions "What would they do next?", "What would you do in their shoes?", or "Why did they do this?" Criminal Psychology is very similar to Psychiatry, otherwise named Clinical Psychology, or Psychoanalysis.