International Survey on the Use of Emerging Technologies Among Forensic and Correctional Mental Health Professionals

Abstract

Although the global diffusion of e-mental health has increased in recent years, research on the use of technologies in criminal justice settings is limited. To bridge this knowledge gap, we conducted an international online survey ( N = 555) of forensic and correctional mental health professionals from Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States, and 20 additional countries. Telecommunication technologies and mental health platforms had the highest numbers of users, the broadest scope, and the largest increase in use due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In contrast, the use of social media and advanced technologies was lower, narrower in scope, and remained the same or decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Respondents’ age, professional discipline, country, and clinical setting significantly predicted total technology use in clinical practice. The study findings provide an overview of the current patterns of technology use and point to opportunities for research and development.

Technological Innovations in Forensic and Correctional Mental Health: An Introduction to the Special Issue

“…This special issue includes eight articles covering a myriad of topics of interest to an international readership and reflecting the current state of e-mental health research and practice in criminal justice settings. In the first article, Kirschstein and colleagues (2023) conducted an international online survey exploring the use of technology for providing clinical services among forensic and correctional mental health professionals. Results showed that mental health professionals are using a number of technologies in forensic and correctional practice with some frequency to accomplish a variety of clinical tasks.…”

“…Based on the definition of the World Health Assembly (2005), e-mental health refers to the use of information and communication technologies for mental health. The range of technologies falling under this term is broad and covers telecommunication (e.g., telephone calls, videoconferencing, and emails), social media (e.g., internet fora, social networks, and wikis), digital platforms (e.g., mobile apps, desktop applications, and websites), and advanced technologies (e.g., decision support systems, virtual reality, and wearable technology; Kirschstein et al, 2023). In forensic and correctional mental health, such technologies have been used to perform expert testimony in court, monitor behavior in high-risk situations, and assess deviant sexual interests (Batastini et al, 2020; Fromberger et al, 2018; Renaud et al, 2014).…”

Examiners' perceptions of forensic mental health assessments conducted via videoconferencing

“…From January to March 2021, Kirschstein et al. (2021) distributed their survey to forensic and correctional mental health clinicians in 24 countries, including the United States. The 555 respondents were accessed via professional organizations and a non‐probability snowball sampling method.…”

Changes in the Use of Telehealth Services and Use of Technology for Communication in U.S. Community Supervision Agencies Since COVID-19

“…Viglione and colleagues (2020) identified large increases in the use of telehealth for mental health and substance use treatment provisions in community corrections, which were not commonly used prepandemic (Viglione et al, 2020). The findings of Viglione and colleagues (2020) were supported by recent research that found nearly 63% of mental health professionals reported great increases in their use of videoconferencing to provide telehealth in criminal justice settings because of the pandemic (Kirschstein et al, 2021). While prior to the pandemic, approximately 20% of telehealth services involved justice-involved individuals (Lowes, 2001), these were primarily focused on individuals in prison or jail (Ax et al, 2007).…”