COUNTRIES AND DIVERSITY
As our countries become more diverse, we must make certain that efforts to respect cultural difference and diversity do not lead us to essentialize and exoticize the “other.” Misguided beneficence may inad- vertently make people second-class citizens and im- pede their integration into the community. Being part of a multicultural society means being subject to the same judicial rules as the rest of the community. However, as with the provision of mental health ser- vices, true equity does not mean that everyone re- ceives precisely the same treatment regardless of their ability to understand and respond. Taking culture into account means that the purposes of the criminal justice system—which include prevention and reha- bilitation—can be achieved more effectively. Cul- tural awareness must be coupled with an equally as- tute political awareness that traces the consequences of clinical or forensic consultations out into the larger society. Ultimately, culture is not something that be- longs just to the person in an identified minority group; it pervades the whole judicial system.
