This chapter describes some of the ways that clinical psychologists contribute to the legal system and to legal decision-making. Forensic psychologists contribute to decisions about whether a defendant is competent to stand trial, whether a defendant was insane at the time he or she committed a crime, and whether certain individuals are a threat to themselves or others. Clinicians also become involved in civil actions, such as determinations about the role of stress or the extent of psychological damage following accidents or other traumatic events. Their involvement in criminal profiling and psychological autopsies is infrequent, but forensic clinical psychologists are commonly asked to perform activities such as psychological evaluations in child custody and divorce proceedings.

This chapter overviews of the training pathways that are available to those who wish to practise forensic psychology in the UK, the United States, Australia, and Canada.It illustrates how different systems of professional regulation and graduate education have developed in each country, although training typically involves a period of undergraduate study (academic background) that is followed by forensic training (specialist knowledge) and supervision and training (professional practice). Current training programs vary in terms of scope and specialization, reflecting the wide range of different roles that forensic psychologists can fulfill but also creating significant challenges for those who have trained in one country but seek to practise in another. Although there is no universal route to a career in forensic psychology all of the training pathways emphasise the importance of obtaining skills and competencies for work in forensic settings.

An increasing body literature has underscored the need for clinical methods and approaches to be able to generalise to clients from different cultural backgrounds. This has led to a broader discussion on the unique needs of offenders and patients from minority and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds and how forensic clinicians can work more effectively with these populations. As cultural differences can affect illness and behaviour, recognising these differences is important for appropriate and equitable mental health care provision within the criminal justice system. This chapter provides an outline of the unique socio-cultural contexts of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse populations and how these phenomena underpin mental health presentations and behaviours prompting criminal justice system involvement. Directions are offered for working with such populations in various psycho-legal contexts (i.e., clinical assessment, diagnoses, treatment, risk assessment), and an integrated model of cross-cultural assessment is introduced to assist assessors working in cross-cultural clinical scenarios.