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FutureLearn

Forensic Mental Health and Criminal Justice

Monash University and Project 39A via FutureLearn

Overview

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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.

Syllabus

  • Introduction to Mental Health and Criminal Justice
    • Welcome to the course
    • Law and Mental Health
    • Role of a Forensic Mental Health Expert and Commonly Observed Mental Disorders
    • Weekly Wrap Up
  • Fitness to Stand Trial - Law and Practice
    • Introduction to the week
    • Law on Fitness to be Tried in India
    • Forensic Assessment in India
    • Law on Fitness to be Tried in Victoria, Australia
    • Forensic Assessment in Victoria, Australia
    • Q&A with the Experts
    • Weekly wrap up
  • Defense of Insanity - Law and Practice
    • Introduction to the week
    • Law on the Insanity Defense in India
    • Forensic Assessment in India
    • Defence of Mental Impairment in Victoria, Australia
    • Forensic Assessment in Victoria, Australia
    • Q&A with the Experts
    • Weekly wrap up
  • Mental Health and the Death Penalty - Law and Practice
    • Introduction to the week
    • Mental Health and Capital Punishment under Indian law
    • International Law, Mental Health and Death Penalty
    • Forensic Assessment in Capital Cases
    • Q&A with the Experts
    • Its a wrap!

Taught by

AK Soumya

Reviews

5.0 rating, based on 1 Class Central review

4.2 rating at FutureLearn based on 10 ratings

Start your review of Forensic Mental Health and Criminal Justice

  • Tahnia Taheera Nauyeck
    I really enjoyed the course , it was very helpful i learnt a lot . It was well planned and laid out also easy for me to follow

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