NS5362 - Issues in Forensic Mental Health 2

Credit points:	03
Year:	2009
Student Contribution Band:	Band 4
Administered by:	Discipline of Nursing, Midwifery & Nutrition

Epidemiology and statistics relating to mentally ill offenders. Diagnosis and offence behaviour. Mentally ill offenders and theories of crime. Interpretations of societys responses to the mentally ill offender. Responses to mentally ill offenders in Australia and overseas, including care in the community. Deinstitutionalisation, mentally ill people in prison, inquiries, catastrophes and institutional responses. Education and research in forensic mental health. Responding to psychopathy and personality disorder. Working in secure institutions.

Learning Outcomes

• to critically discuss commonly held views of responsibility, freedom and autonomy and of sickness, rehabilitation and punishment in relation to mentally ill offenders;
• to critically discuss criminalisation, social justice, class and sub-cultural theories of mentally ill offenders;
• to critically evaluate statistical information concerning the prevalence of mentally ill offenders internationally, nationally and locally;
• to describe the political and social controls and clinical resources for managing mentally ill offenders, including those with personality disorders and critically explore the thinking behind them;
• to discuss the issues of dual diagnosis and the complications for clinical practice raised by drug and alcohol abuse.

Graduate Qualities

• The ability to think critically, to analyse and evaluate claims, evidence and arguments, and to reason and deploy evidence clearly and logically;
• The ability to find and access information using appropriate media and technologies;
• The ability to evaluate that information;
• An understanding of the economic, legal, ethical, social and cultural issues involved in the use of information;
• The ability to reflect on and evaluate learning, and to learn independently in a self directed manner;
• The ability to read complex and demanding texts accurately, critically and insightfully;
• The ability to speak and write clearly, coherently and creatively;
• The ability to work individually and independently;
• The ability to select and use appropriate tools and technologies;
• The ability to use online technologies effectively and ethically.

Prerequisites:

NS5360

Availabilities
External, Study Period 2
Census Date 28-Aug-2009
Coordinator:	Professor Colin Holmes
Lecturer:	Dr Lea Budden.
Method of Delivery:	and WWW - LearnJCUPrinted materials
Assessment:	assignments.

Note: Minor variations might occur due to the continuous Subject quality improvement process, and in case of minor variation(s) in assessment details, the Subject Outline represents the latest official information.