Forensic Psychiatry

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2012:

For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Objectives, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.
It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and the Disability Liaison Unit: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

The interaction between a mental disorder and offending behaviour is important not just for forensic mental health specialists but for all of those who work with the mentally disordered. Clinicians need to develop the skills to balance the needs of patients with those of the legal system and the safety of the community. This elective will attempt to acquaint students with the nature of the relationships between mental disorder and deviant (including criminal) behaviours. It will provide an introduction to current evidence-based approaches to assessing and managing risk of future violence. The course will also look at specific forms of deviant behaviour, in particular sexual offending and stalking behaviours, in order to illustrate the interactions between deviant and potentially damaging behaviours and disorders of the mind. The overall objective of the course will be to introduce students to those aspects of forensic mental health which will be of general applicability in psychiatric practice.

• Describe the interaction between a mental disorder and offending behaviour and the nature of the relationships between mental disorder and disordered behaviour that lead to criminal offending
• Demonstrate the basic skills needed to assess and manage risk of violence in patients with a mental disorder
• Describe specific forms of deviant behaviour, in particular sexual offending and stalking behaviours, as examples of the interaction between deviant and potentially damaging behaviours and disorders of the mind

• The unit is assessed through a combination of attendance and particiaption at the seminars (20%)
• and a 2500 word critical review of the literature in a relevant area chosen by the student (80%)

Drake, C R & Pathe M (2004) Understanding Sexual Offending in Schizophrenia, Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health, 14, 108-120.

Gunn J & Taylor P (eds) Forensic Psychiatry: Clinical, Legal and Ethical Issues. Butterworth Heinemann. 1993.

Mullen P, Pather M & Purcell R (2001) The Management of Stalkers: Advances in Psychiatric treatment, 7, 335-342.

Otto R K (2000) Assessing and Managing Violence Risk in Outpatient Settings. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 56(10), 1239-1262.

Wallace C, MullenP, Burgess P, Palmer S, Rushing D & Browne C (1998) Serious Criminal Offending and Mental Disorder: Case Linkage Study. Br J Psychiatry, 172, 477-484

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.