Forensic and Investigative Psychology Services
Welcome to my personal site. My name is Gérard Labuschagne. I’m a clinical psychologist. My particular area of interest is forensic and investigative psychology, and workplace threats.
Profiling and serial crime investigation in South Africa
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Get to know me
My Background
I have been a Clinical Psychologist since February 1998. After completing my internship at the Military Hospital in Pretoria in 1997, and qualifying as a Clinical Psychologist, I went on to work at Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital as a consultant Clinical Psychologist (and joint appointment as a lecturer in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pretoria) for three-and-a-half years before taking up a position in the South African Police Service (SAPS) in October 2001.
My Services
Due to my 14 years as the head of the SAPS Investigative Psychology Section, which performed similar functions as the FBI’s Behavioural Analysis Units (BAUs) I was fortunate enough to receive a wide range of specialised training not available to most psychologists unless they were previously in law enforcement. I had extensive training from exFBI profilers, NCIS crime scene experts, an NCIS Operational Psychologist, and ex-Royal Canadian Mounted Police Profilers. I also spent some time at the FBI’s Behavioural Analysis Units learning and sharing ideas and experiences.
Forensic Psychology
Forensic psychology is a very broad concept, with many sub-divisions. Most people associate it with profiling serial murderers or psychologists who help the police solve cases. In reality, this is a very small part of forensic psychology (often referred to as investigative psychology), done by a very small group of specialist psychologists internationally, and even fewer locally. In fact, most law enforcement profilers are not psychologists at all, and are usually experienced investigators. We use the term forensic psychology any time psychology is playing some role in relation to the justice system.
Getting into forensic psychology in South Africa
I get asked about this a lot. Click the button to see my standard response.
