Forensic Assessment of Violence Risk in Adversarial Proceedings: Pursuing Objectivity and Avoiding Bias

Abstract

ABSTRACT Psychologists who work in forensic contexts are often called upon to assess an individual's risk for violence to better inform decisions about commitment, sentencing, parole, or release. Although professional standards hold that psychologists should assess risk and communicate findings in an objective manner, psychologists in adversarial legal contexts may feel pulled to drift from strict objectivity and towards interpreting data, forming opinions, or presenting findings in a manner more supportive of the party that retained their services. After reviewing research related to bias in forensic evaluation, a case example illustrates a number of steps in the evaluation process that may be vulnerable to subtle bias. Finally, practice recommendations offer guidance to psychologists seeking to conduct evaluations in an objective, defensible manner.