Citation

Shepherd SM. Australas. Psychiatry 2016; 24(6): 565-567.

Affiliation

Research Fellow and Lecturer, Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science, Swinburne University of Technology, Clifton Hill, VIC, Australia sshepherd@swin.edu.au.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1039856216665287

PMID

27605522

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Violence risk assessment assumes a critical medico-legal role addressing offender/patient needs and informing forensic mental health decision making. Yet questions remain over the cross-cultural applicability of such measures. In their current form, violence risk instruments may not reflect the unique life and cultural experiences of Indigenous Australians rendering them culturally unsafe.

CONCLUSIONS: To realize equitable forensic assessment, it is necessary to ascertain whether there are cultural differences across risk factors for violence and that risk instruments are validated as culturally appropriate. Greater cross-cultural rigour in forensic mental health risk assessment, research and practice is proposed.

© The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2016.

Language: en