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Forensic Psychiatry

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Image by Carles Rabada

About

Forensic Psychiatry is a specialty of psychiatry primarily concerned with individuals who have offended and who also suffer from a mental disorder. These mentally disordered offenders (MDOs) are often cared for in a secure psychiatric environment though larger numbers, particularly those with substance use disorders, are in prisons where healthcare can be insufficient to meet their needs.

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Forensic psychiatrists act as expert witnesses in court (commenting on questions such as criminal responsibility and risk) or manage MDOs in treatment or carceral settings. They might also give advice on how to prevent and deal with violence in MDOs. In doing so, they face a “dual role dilemma”, on the one hand serving, as doctors, individual patients, on the others hand having a role in protecting the public. Important research questions concern the assessment of risk of violence and (re-) offending and the effectiveness of interventions to reduce risk.

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As a section we provide a forum for practitioners to exchange experiences and views on all matters pertinent to forensic psychiatry. We organise activities at the main WPA meetings or regional conferences and develop guidance on relevant topics.

Section members

Chair:

Foto Prof. Völlm.jpg

Birgit Völlm

Hospital for Forensic Psychiatry 

University Medicine Rostock,  Gehlsheimer Straße 20,  18147 Rostock,  Germany

Phone: + 49 381 494 4800   

Email: birgit.voellm@med.uni-rostock.de

Foto Prof. Völlm.jpg

BIRGIT VÖLLM 

Chair

Hospital for Forensic Psychiatry 

University Medicine Rostock,  Gehlsheimer Straße 20,  18147 Rostock,  Germany

Phone: + 49 381 494 4800   

Email: birgit.voellm@med.uni-rostock.de

20201210_083653.jpg

ANTONI NOVOTNI

Co-Chair

Address: University Clinic for Psychiatry, Medical Faculty, University “St. Cyril and Methodius”, Beogradska bb., 1000 Skopje, Macedonia   

Phone: +389 76 456 300  Fax: +389 70 387 148

E-mail: prof.novotni@gmail.com

Elias.jpg

ELIAS ABDALLA-FILHO

Secretary

University of Brasília

SQN 309, Bloco L, ap. 603,  Brasília, DF, Brazil 70755-120

Phone: + 55 61 33476690  Fax: + 55 61 33223066 

Email: eliasabdalla333@gmail.com

Image by Carles Rabada

About

Forensic Psychiatry is a specialty of psychiatry primarily concerned with individuals who have offended and who also suffer from a mental disorder. These mentally disordered offenders (MDOs) are often cared for in a secure psychiatric environment though larger numbers, particularly those with substance use disorders, are in prisons where healthcare can be insufficient to meet their needs.

​

Forensic psychiatrists act as expert witnesses in court (commenting on questions such as criminal responsibility and risk) or manage MDOs in treatment or carceral settings. They might also give advice on how to prevent and deal with violence in MDOs. In doing so, they face a “dual role dilemma”, on the one hand serving, as doctors, individual patients, on the others hand having a role in protecting the public. Important research questions concern the assessment of risk of violence and (re-) offending and the effectiveness of interventions to reduce risk.

​

As a section we provide a forum for practitioners to exchange experiences and views on all matters pertinent to forensic psychiatry. We organise activities at the main WPA meetings or regional conferences and develop guidance on relevant topics.

Section members

Chair:

Foto Prof. Völlm.jpg

Birgit Völlm

Hospital for Forensic Psychiatry 

University Medicine Rostock,  Gehlsheimer Straße 20,  18147 Rostock,  Germany

Phone: + 49 381 494 4800   

Email: birgit.voellm@med.uni-rostock.de

Co-chair:

20201210_083653.jpg

Antoni Novotni

Address: University Clinic for Psychiatry, Medical Faculty, University “St. Cyril and Methodius”, Beogradska bb., 1000 Skopje, Macedonia   

Phone: +389 76 456 300  Fax: +389 70 387 148

E-mail: prof.novotni@gmail.com

Image by Carles Rabada

About

Forensic Psychiatry is a specialty of psychiatry primarily concerned with individuals who have offended and who also suffer from a mental disorder. These mentally disordered offenders(MDOs) are often cared for insecure psychiatric environments though larger numbers, particularly those with substance use disorders, are in prisons where healthcare can be insufficient to meet their needs. Our Section is also concerned with prison psychiatry. 

​

Forensic psychiatrists act as expert witnesses in court (commenting on questions such as criminal responsibility and risk) or manage MDOs in treatment or carceral settings. They might also give advice on how to prevent and deal with violence in MDOs. In doing so, they face a “dual role dilemma”, on the one hand serving, as doctors, individual patients, on the others hand having a role in protecting the public.

​

Important research questions concern the assessment of risk of violence and (re-) offending and the effectiveness of interventions to reduce risk.

​

As a section we provide a forum for practitioners to exchange experiences and views on all matters pertinent to forensic psychiatry. We organise activities at the main WPA meetings or regional conferences and develop guidance on relevant topics.

Section Officers

Chair:

20201210_083653.jpg

Antoni Novotni

Address: University Clinic for Psychiatry, Medical Faculty, University “St. Cyril and Methodius”, Beogradska bb., 1000 Skopje, Macedonia   

Phone: +389 76 456 300  Fax: +389 70 387 148

E-mail: prof.novotni@gmail.com

Co-Chair:

Elias Abdalla.jpg

Elias Abdalla-Filho

Brazilian Psychiatric Association

SQN 309, Bloco L, ap. 603,  Brasília, DF, Brazil 70755-120

Phone: + 55 61 33476690  Fax: + 55 61 33223066 

Email: eliasabdalla333@gmail.com

Secretary:

CArlos sema Forensic.jpg

Carlos Hugo Isaac Sema

CAISAME EB. Av. Zoquipan No.1000 .CP 45170.

Guadalajara, Jalisco, México

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Email: cisaacx@hotmail.com; carloshugox@hotmail.com 

>> Please click here to see the Section Members list

Section news

The Section is pleased to announce a collaboration with the Forensic Psychiatry Institute of the McMasters University, Canada, in organising the International Forensic Psychiatry Lecture Series.

 

Lectures are held online every Thursday at 10 am EDT (Toronto, Canada), the programme can be found here. Lectures are given by international experts in the field and are attended by several hundred participants around the world. As a Section, our members and colleagues contribute four lectures per year.

 

We welcome suggestions for speaker and topics.

Useful Documents

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