Effects of reporting a defendant’s race in a forensic mental health assessment for sentencing
Presentation Type
Abstract
Faculty Advisor
Chris King
Access Type
Event
Start Date
25-4-2025 1:30 PM
End Date
25-4-2025 2:29 PM
Description
Research suggests that cognitive biases (e.g., about race and ethnicity) may influence legal decision-makers—biases which may operate outside of conscious awareness. For example, it may be relevant for matters such as sentencing to know how likely a defendant is to reoffend. The current study examined whether varying mention (or not) of a defendant’s race or ethnicity in a forensic mental health assessment report related to perceptions of the defendant’s risk for reoffending and related risk management issues. The effects of participants’ own racial and ethnic identity relative to the hypothetical examinee (potential affinity bias), and their score on measures of implicit racial or ethnic bias, were also examined. Participants (interim n = 203) completed an online survey in which they were randomly assigned to read one of four hypothetical forensic mental health reports, which differed only with respect to the defendant’s indicated surname and race or ethnicity (White, Black, Hispanic, or no indicated race or ethnicity). Participants then completed a demographics measure, attention check items, items concerning perceptions of the defendant, and one of two implicit bias measures (depending on condition assignment: the Race Implicit Association Test or Hispanic Implicit Association Test). Preliminary results were not suggestive of affinity bias. However, significant correlations were observed between implicit bias scores and perceived risk for reoffending when the defendant was specified as White; perceived control over one’s actions when Black; and perceived risk for future violence when race or ethnicity was not specified. Implications for future research will be highlighted.
Effects of reporting a defendant’s race in a forensic mental health assessment for sentencing
Research suggests that cognitive biases (e.g., about race and ethnicity) may influence legal decision-makers—biases which may operate outside of conscious awareness. For example, it may be relevant for matters such as sentencing to know how likely a defendant is to reoffend. The current study examined whether varying mention (or not) of a defendant’s race or ethnicity in a forensic mental health assessment report related to perceptions of the defendant’s risk for reoffending and related risk management issues. The effects of participants’ own racial and ethnic identity relative to the hypothetical examinee (potential affinity bias), and their score on measures of implicit racial or ethnic bias, were also examined. Participants (interim n = 203) completed an online survey in which they were randomly assigned to read one of four hypothetical forensic mental health reports, which differed only with respect to the defendant’s indicated surname and race or ethnicity (White, Black, Hispanic, or no indicated race or ethnicity). Participants then completed a demographics measure, attention check items, items concerning perceptions of the defendant, and one of two implicit bias measures (depending on condition assignment: the Race Implicit Association Test or Hispanic Implicit Association Test). Preliminary results were not suggestive of affinity bias. However, significant correlations were observed between implicit bias scores and perceived risk for reoffending when the defendant was specified as White; perceived control over one’s actions when Black; and perceived risk for future violence when race or ethnicity was not specified. Implications for future research will be highlighted.
Comments
Poster presentation at the 2025 Student Research Symposium.