25Cautionary Statement for
Forensic Use of DSM-5
Although the DSM-5  diagnostic criteria and text are primarily designed to assist
clinicians in conducting clinical assessment,  case formulation, an d treatment planning,
DSM-5 is also used as a reference for the cour ts and attorneys in assessing the forensic con-
sequences of mental disorders. As a result, it  is important to note that the definition of
mental disorder included in DSM-5 was developed to meet the needs of clinicians, public
health professionals, and research investigators rather than all of the technical needs of the
courts and legal professionals. It is also im portant to note that DSM-5 does not provide
treatment guidelines for any given disorder.
When used appropriately, diagnoses and di agnostic information can assist legal deci-
sion makers in their determinations. For exampl e, when the presence of a mental disorder
is the predicate for a su bsequent legal determination (e.g ., involuntary civil commitment),
the use of an established system of diagnosi s enhances the value and reliability of the de-
termination. By providing a co mpendium based on a review of the pertinent clinical and
research literature, DSM-5 may facilitate legal decision makers’ understanding of the rel-
evant characteristics of mental disorders. The literature related to di agnoses also serves as
a check on ungrounded speculation about ment al disorders and about the functioning of a
particular individual. Finally, diagnostic in formation about longitud inal course may im-
prove decision making when the legal issue co ncerns an individual’s mental functioning
at a past or future point in time.
However, the use of DSM-5 should be inform ed by an awareness of the risks and lim-
itations of its use in forensic settings. When  DSM-5 categories, criteria, and textual descrip-