ABOUT THE ABCP

It is the policy of the American Board of Correctional Psychology (ABCP) to model its certification in a process similar to that of the American Board of Professional Psychology, Inc. (ABPP), including periodic internal reviews to ensure the on-going quality of its certification process. Accordingly, the competencies assessed through the ABCP certification examination include both foundational competencies common to all professional psychologists, and functional competencies specific to correctional psychology.

The mission of the American Board of Correctional Psychology is to contribute to the development and maintenance of correctional psychology as a specialized field of study, research and practice. 

The goals of the ABCP are:

a. To serve the public and the profession by certifying that psychologists in correctional psychology maintain high ethical standards, and have completed education, training, experience requirements, including an examination designed to assess the competencies, necessary to provide quality services in correctional settings;

b. To maintain a central registry for the public dissemination of information about the board certification status of all those psychologists certified by the ABCP;

c. To establish relationships with the public and the profession, particularly organizations that identify psychologists as providers of service with board certified credentials; To assist in improving the quality of research, education and training in correctional psychology; and

d. To conduct information and education programs designed to make information about the ABCP and the status of its board-certified psychologists available to the public and the profession.