Culturally Responsive Family Therapy with Post-Risk Assessment Juvenile Fire Setting and Bomb Making: A Forensic Psychology Paradigm

Ronn Johnson

Abstract

Internationally, research on juvenile fire setting and bomb making creates an empirically based rationale that supports at least two intervention practices. First, there is a forensic mental health justification for remaining attentive to the recurring public safety risks attached to these high profile cases. Second, there is a post-risk assessment preference for using culturally responsive family therapy within a JFSB context. Largely, JFSB does not occur in isolation from the family. The author argues that post-risk assessment family issues must be addressed as a means to mitigate recidivism. The major purpose of this article four-fold when it comes to exploring the current research literature and reviewing risk assessment methods. First, the articles discuss the prevalence of the JFSB problem and referral matters. Second, the article stresses the necessity for forensic mental health adaptations to be made during family therapy with respect to JFSB cases. Third, ethical and legal issues are examined along with culturally responsive post-risk assessment family therapy specific to JFSB. Finally, conclusions, implications for practice, research, training, and supervision are discussed.