Handbook

Why do the courts care about mental disorders? Why are psychiatric experts called to give evidence in courts? Why do we not just lock up mentally ill offenders as they pose an unacceptable risk to the community? What are the differences between a mental illness and a personality disorder?

Mental illnesses affect around 20% of the population. For some people, these illnesses lead to, or contribute to, a person committing a criminal offence. Mainstream media adds to the stigma and controversy surrounding offending and mental illness, often only reporting on high-profile cases with fatal or catastrophic outcomes and neglecting to report on positive outcomes where intervention has succeeded.

To help provide assessment and treatment to this group, society requires a skilled and empathetic workforce who are able to provide a service to this often-maligned group. By dispelling myths and providing factual information we can enhance the services offered to mentally ill offenders and provide better outcomes for them and the community in which we live.

This course is delivered fully online. This course is designed to give you a foundational understanding of mental disorders and personality disorders and how these are related to crime. You will be able to describe major mental disorders/illnesses, identify signs and symptoms of these disorders/illnesses and understand the available treatment modalities. With this knowledge and understanding you will be able to make meaningful and feasible recommendations and solutions to courts and decision makers, aligned with your discipline, to reduce the burden of mental disorders on the community and criminal justice system.

To assist with consolidating your learning, this course uses real, deidentified cases to highlight common mental disorders and personality disorders, discussing the crimes committed by the individuals and providing insights into treatments available both within the criminal justice system, and in the community for those diverted from full-time custodial sentences.