Race-informed Forensic Mental Health Assessment: A Principles-Based Analysis

Abstract

Existing models of forensic mental health assessment (FMHA) do not explicitly address the role of race or ethnicity in data collection, interpretation, report writing, and testimony. This omission can be a barrier to gathering information relevant to the forensic question and reaching culturally informed opinions. By adapting established principles of FMHA, we propose a culturally responsive model of FMHA emphasizing race and ethnicity (“Race-informed FMHA”). This model systematically assesses the impact of race, ethnicity and intersectional identities. We also describe how to determine how racial and ethnic considerations may be relevant to FMHA generally and in specific cases. Race-informed FMHA expands the scope of 12 of 38 foundational principles of FMHA to include racial identity, ethnicity, oppression, and privilege. We explain how evaluators can apply these principles to interpret and present information about race and ethnicity as objectively as possible. This paper identifies existing tools to obtain information regarding race and ethnicity in FMHA and describes a framework to conceptualize identity and its relevance. We discuss the importance of increasing evaluators’ comfort and fluency in discussing their own race and ethnicity – and those of others - in FMHA as well as implications for research and modified practice.

Keywords:

• Forensic mental health assessment
• racial identity
• principles of forensic assessment
• cultural responsiveness

Conflict of interest

None of the authors have conflicts of interest to report.

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Notes

1 The acronym “BIPOC” reflects the range of non-white racial and ethnic identities in the United States.

2 We suggest evaluators consider these questions (or similar) to subjectively gauge their comfort with considering and writing about their own identity: “What is my racial identity? How has my racial identity affected me?” Responses may come easily for some and less so for others. The ease of answering reflects familiarity with discussing oneself and others in racial terms and contexts. Evaluators can also consider their comfort and familiarity with evaluees of specific racial groups.