Culturally Informed Forensic Mental Health Assessments: A Path Towards Equity In The Legal System
In the complex world of forensic psychology, the need for unbiased, culturally informed evaluations has never been more critical. Amanda M. Fanniff, Taylor York, and Renee Gutierrez, in their study recently published in Law and Human Behavior (the official journal of the American Psychology Association (APA), Law Society), shed light on how incorporating cultural considerations into forensic mental health assessments (FMHAs) can improve justice and equity within the legal system.
Forensic psychologists play a pivotal role in shaping legal decisions by offering expert opinions across a spectrum of legal matters, be it criminal, civil, or family-related. The Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychology (APA, 2013) emphasize the importance of evaluators considering sociodemographic identities and competencies when conducting assessments.
What makes this research particularly pertinent is its focus on the fact that individuals from marginalized and oppressed backgrounds are disproportionately involved in the legal system. This includes individuals from various communities like Black, Hispanic, Indigenous people, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and non-citizens. Discrimination and systemic oppression often shape their experiences, affecting both their presentation and the evaluation process.
Moreover, the study highlights a notable issue – the underrepresentation of individuals with minoritized identities within the field of forensic psychology. This imbalance underscores the necessity for evaluators to recognize their own identities and biases and strive to provide truly neutral and informative assessments.
The consequence of failing to consider cultural factors in FMHAs is the potential for biased evaluations, despite the best intentions of the evaluator. Such biased assessments can perpetuate disparities within the legal system and harm the individuals being assessed to guide on this critical issue, Fanniff, York, and Gutierrez undertook a comprehensive study. They compiled a list of 81 potentially relevant practices from existing literature on culturally informed FMHAs. To ensure expert input, they engaged nine psychologists with dual expertise in cultural factors and forensic assessment. These dual experts rated the importance and relevance of the practices and suggested additional considerations. Subsequently, they surveyed 21 board-certified forensic psychologists to gauge the importance of the 66 remaining practices.
The collective wisdom of the dual experts and the board-certified forensic psychologists converged on 28 practices that were deemed very important. These practices spanned every phase of the forensic evaluation process, from preparation to report writing. They included essential questions for evaluators, such as inquiring how examinees identify their race and ethnicity, and factors to consider during the formulation process, such as the influence of acculturation, racism, and discrimination.
While this research represents a significant step towards establishing best practices in culturally informed FMHA, the authors acknowledge the need for continued work. As our understanding of cultural factors evolves and as case law adapts, recommended practices must be updated. Furthermore, it's vital to ensure a more diverse representation in research, including Asian, Pacific Islander, Native American, and Indigenous psychologists.
The ultimate goal of this research is to equip forensic psychologists with the tools to be culturally humble and address the effects of racism and systemic oppression while delivering impartial evaluations that benefit the legal system. This research signifies an important stride towards equity and justice in forensic mental health assessments, ultimately fostering a more just and inclusive legal system.
