Handbook

Serial killers, psychopaths, violent, and sexual offenders receive significant attention in the media, creating a particular fascination for people; they also consume significant resources in terms of their policing, prosecution, treatment, and punishment.  

This course is aimed at those with a general interest in the forensic area who may wish to pursue a professional career or research in this fascinating field. This course complements existing offerings at UNSW such as undergraduate courses in medicine, psychology, social work, criminology, and law, as well as postgraduate courses in forensic mental health, forensic psychology, criminology and the law. 

This course will be taught in an intensive mode by some of Australia’s leading forensic psychiatrists, clinicians, and researchers from the forensic mental health services, police, corrective services, law, and forensic medicine.

This foundation course will provide participants with unique insights into the psychopathology of this high profile offender group. Taking a lifecycle approach, it examines the antecedents of offending, genetic influences, and the detection, prosecution, treatment, and punishment of this group. Real case examples will be used to illustrate offender groups such as Fred West, Jeffrey Dahmer, Peter Sutcliffe, Ted Bundy, Dr Harold Shipman, Ivan Milat, and Michael Bryant.