Forensic Mental Health and Criminal Justice

Understand the relevance of mental health in the criminal justice system

Though it can severely impact access to a fair trial, there is very little discussion on the intersection of mental health of the accused and the criminal justice system. This is mainly due to a lack of awareness and expertise on issues of mental health in the legal community.

In this four-week course, through videos, quizzes and additional reading materials, you’ll explore the various stages where the mental health of the accused is an important consideration and its bearing on access to justice.

Learn how to overcome challenges in forensic mental health

You’ll identify the legal and forensic mental health aspects in three broad areas; fitness to stand trial, the defense of insanity, and the role of mental health in capital punishment cases.

This understanding will help you develop the conceptual foundations of forensic mental health before you explore the practical barriers in raising mental health considerations and litigating them successfully.

Apply your knowledge of criminal law and mental health to real cases

The course not only deals with the legal aspect but also discusses the importance of forensic mental health evaluations. You’ll gain an insight into forensic psychiatry assessments, best practices, and important concepts accessible to practitioners and students of law or forensic mental health.

You’ll then discover how you can apply your new skills and knowledge to actual cases, helping you develop a cohesive strategy to deal with cases with mental health considerations and improve access to justice.

This course is designed for practitioners and students in the field of law as well as in the field of mental health, particularly psychiatry and psychology. The course will also be beneficial for anyone interested in learning about ways in which persons with mental disability are treated within the framework of criminal law. It will be particularly beneficial for those in South Asia, although there are comparative law elements with experts from the UK and Australia.

This course is designed for practitioners and students in the field of law as well as in the field of mental health, particularly psychiatry and psychology. The course will also be beneficial for anyone interested in learning about ways in which persons with mental disability are treated within the framework of criminal law. It will be particularly beneficial for those in South Asia, although there are comparative law elements with experts from the UK and Australia.

• Apply the conceptual and practical knowledge to actual cases and improve access to justice more meaningfully.
• Demonstrate a clear understanding of the intersection of mental health and criminal law in specifically three areas- fitness to stand trial, the defense of insanity and mental health at the time of sentencing and execution in capital punishment cases.
• Identify and overcome the challenges in raising and litigating a mental health consideration in court.
• Synthesise legal and forensic knowledge to develop a cohesive strategy to deal with cases with mental health considerations.
• Assess the mental condition of the accused/convict and improve the manner in which such assessment is presented both in a report and in the courtroom.