RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Illuminating Sociocultural and Ethnocultural Consciousness in Forensic Practice
JF Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online
JO J Am Acad Psychiatry Law
FD American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
SP JAAPL.230026-23
DO 10.29158/JAAPL.230026-23
A1 Ezra E. H. Griffith
A1 Shoba Sreenivasan
A1 Melinda S. DiCiro
A1 Eric M. Wagreich
YR 2023
UL http://jaapl.org/content/early/2023/05/17/JAAPL.230026-23.abstract
AB In recent decades, there has been an evolution in forensic psychiatry and psychology toward closer examination of the professionals’ attitudes and intentions in their practice. We theorize that the progressive change reflects increased attention to the experiences of evaluators and evaluees in their social worlds. This cultural focus complements the traditional emphasis on biomedical elements, such as neuropsychiatric disorders. We suggest that sociocultural factors (such as poverty, trauma, and sexual orientation) and ethnocultural factors (such as those related to ethnic status, discrimination, and racialized application of risk assessment) have contributed substantially to these developments in forensic practice. We utilize past and current literature to illustrate the change and to frame it as a way of improving practice. This is a call for forensic practitioners to enhance their awareness of the impact of social and ethnocultural factors. We recommend further examination of these ideas by training programs and broader scholarly discussion in educational forums.