Psychology and crime are different branches of learning but are studied together to determine the mental state, feelings and the requisite mens rea of an individual while committing a crime. In early years of 20th century psychologists tried to determine psychological factors that influenced criminal behavior; in 1964 British psychologist Hans J. Eysenck published the first theoretical approach on criminal behavior. Human beings, often commit crime to benefit from it financially for example, a man might steal to cope up with poverty or to feed his starving family. But on the contrary several crimes such as rape, murder, abduction, etc. are often motivated by psychological factors. The objective of this paper is to establish the relation between psychology and crime and how psychological aspects are the cause of criminal behavior around the globe. It also focuses on the significance of psychology, the role played by psychologists and the use of various psychological tools in the criminal justice system. Furthermore this paper analyzes the psychological factors while illustrating the nature and gravity of the crimes committed by infamous offenders as case study.

Keywords: Criminal psychology, Psychology, Criminal Behavior, Crime, Criminal Psychologist.

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