Navigating Cross-Cultural Issues in Forensic Assessment: Recommendations for Practice

Immigration trends are rapidly increasing the diversity present in individuals who require psychological evaluation. Forensic psychologists in particular are often faced with evaluatees from diverse backgrounds, about which they may have little or no prior knowledge. Furthermore, the measures commonly used in forensic assessment have rarely been developed for, or validated in, individuals from nonmajority cultural backgrounds, let alone in languages other than English. This article examines a range of topics that impact cross-cultural validity in psychological assessments more generally, with particular attention to the issues most relevant for forensic assessment (e.g., clinical interviewing, diagnostic assessment, and psychological testing). Additionally, recommendations for best practice in forensic assessment with culturally diverse evaluatees are offered.