Mental health screens used in U.S. corrections settings: evidence of fairness with Black and Latinx people

Abstract

ABSTRACT Mental health screening increases the likelihood that people with mental illness receive the services that they are legally entitled to in U.S. correctional institutions. This is particularly important for Black and Latinx people, who make up more than half of correctional populations and are disproportionately likely to be incarcerated, yet experience disparities in access to services. The utility and fairness of existing mental health screening tools among racial and ethnic minority groups are unclear. Given how culture, language, and perceptions of mental illness affect how people respond to mental health measures, assessing screening tools’ fairness is vital. To address this, we reviewed research on widely recommended mental health screening tools to determine the extent to which evidence of fairness existed in terms of (a) criterion validity among Black and Latinx people in correctional settings, and (b) availability of a validated Spanish translation. We found scant research demonstrating criterion validity in these tools among incarcerated Black and Latinx people, and limited research that has tested Spanish translations of these tools in corrections settings. Based on these findings, we outline a research agenda to ensure that mental health screening in U.S. correctional institutions meets incarcerated Black and Latinx people’s needs.