Translation guide
A medical doctor specializing in the intersection of mental health and the law, often evaluating defendants, providing expert testimony, or treating offenders.
He testified in court as a forensic psychiatrist.
Alternative term emphasizing the judicial/legal aspect. Slightly more formal or academic.
The forensic psychiatrist conducted a psychiatric evaluation of the defendant.
Literally 'criminal psychiatrist'. May be used in some contexts but can sound sensational or less precise. Use with caution.
Can imply a focus on criminals rather than the broader legal role. 法廷精神科医 or 司法精神科医 are preferred.
A criminal psychiatrist analyzes the psychology of offenders.
Referring to the specialty or field of forensic psychiatry itself.
Both are used for 'forensic psychiatrist'. 法廷 (courtroom) emphasizes the courtroom role, while 司法 (judicial) is broader and more formal. In practice, they are often interchangeable, but 法廷精神科医 is slightly more common in media.
When introducing yourself or someone else as a forensic psychiatrist, you can simply say 「精神科医です。法廷精神医学を専門としています。」 (I'm a psychiatrist. I specialize in forensic psychiatry.) This sounds natural and avoids overly technical jargon.
The field of forensic psychiatry has been attracting attention in recent years.