Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-c4f8m Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-25T04:21:15.477Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Forensic psychiatry and mental health in Australia: an overview

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 October 2019

Andrew Ellis*
Affiliation:
School of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
*
* Address correspondence to: Andrew Ellis, BMed, MA, MSc, FRANZCP, Post Office Box 150 Matraville, NSW 2036, Australia. (Email: draellis@mac.com)

Abstract

This article reviews the development of forensic psychiatry and mental health services in Australia for the international reader. It covers the legacy of a series of colonial systems that have contributed to a modern health service that interacts with justice systems. The development of relevant legislation, hospitals, prison services, community, and courts services is reviewed. The training and academic development of professionals is covered. Gaps in service delivery and future directions are considered.

Type
Perspectives
Copyright
© Cambridge University Press 2019

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

References:

Mullen, PE, Briggs, S, Dalton, T, et al. Forensic mental health services in Australia. Int J Law Psychiatry. 2000;23:433452.10.1016/S0160-2527(00)00057-1CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Every‐Palmer, S, Brink, J, Chern, TP, et al. Review of psychiatric services to mentally disordered offenders around the Pacific Rim. Asia‐Pac Psychiatry. 2014;6(1):17.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Australian Bureau of Statistics. https://www.abs.gov.au/Population. Accessed March 30, 2019.Google Scholar
Hanley, N, Ross, S. Forensic mental health in Australia: Charting the gaps. Curr Issues Crim Justice. 2013;24(3):341356.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kasinathan, J, Le, J, Barker, A, Sharp, G. Presser–the forgotten story. Australas Psychiatry. 2016;24(5):478482.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Allnutt, S, Samuels, A, O’driscoll, C. The insanity defence: from wild beasts to M’Naghten. Australas Psychiatry. 2007;15(4):292298.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ogloff, JR, Talevski, D, Lemphers, A, et al. Co-occurring mental illness, substance use disorders, and antisocial personality disorder among clients of forensic mental health services. Psych Rehab J. 2015;38(1):16.10.1037/prj0000088CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Adams, J, Thomas, SD, Mackinnon, T, et al. The risks, needs and stages of recovery of a complete forensic patient cohort in an Australian state. BMC Psychiatry. 2018;18(1):35.10.1186/s12888-017-1584-8CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hayes, H, Kemp, RI, Large, MM, et al. A 21-year retrospective outcome study of New South Wales forensic patients granted conditional and unconditional release. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2014;48(3):259282.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ong, K, Carroll, A, Reid, S, et al. Community outcomes of mentally disordered homicide offenders in Victoria. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2009;43(8):775780.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Adams, J, Ellis, A, Brown, A, et al. A prison mental health screening unit: a first for New South Wales. Australas Psychiatry. 2009;17(2):9096.10.1080/10398560802444036CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Butler, T, Andrews, G, Allnutt, S, et al. Mental disorders in Australian prisoners: a comparison with a community sample. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2006;40(3):272276.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Butler, T, Allnutt, S, Kariminia, A, et al. Mental health status of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australian prisoners. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2007;41(5):429435.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ellis, A, Kumar, V, Rodriguez, M, et al. A survey of the conditionally released forensic patient population in New South Wales. Australas psychiatry. 2010;18(6):542546.10.3109/10398562.2010.499434CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Carroll, A, Scott, R, Green, B, et al. Forensic mental health orders: orders without borders. Australas Psychiatry, 2009;17(1):3437.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Soon, YL, Rae, N, Korobanova, D, et al. Mentally ill offenders eligible for diversion at local court in New South Wales (NSW), Australia: factors associated with initially successful diversion. J Forensic Psychiatry Psychol. 2018;29(5):705–16.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Albalawi, O, Chowdhury, NZ, Wand, H, et al. Court diversion for those with psychosis and its impact on re-offending rates: results from a longitudinal data-linkage study. BJPsych Open. 2019;5(1):e9.10.1192/bjo.2018.71CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed