Research workshops

2012 - Coercive Care: Law and Policy

In May 2012, mental health law academics from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK and the USA attended this workshop in Monash University's Prato Centre, Italy.

The workshop addressed the following questions:

• In what ways can laws be developed to help improve services for individuals with multiple and complex needs?
• In what ways can moves towards legislatively based supported (rather than substitute) decision-making schemes assist?
• In what ways are general capacity based laws preferable to segregated mental health/guardianship laws?
• In what ways can mental health courts or diversionary programs aid in the treatment and recovery of individuals with multiple and complex needs?
• In what ways can legally mandated detention/treatment programs assist in reducing the risk of harm to self/others by individuals with multiple and complex needs?

The papers from the workshop will be edited by Professors Bernadette McSherry and Ian Freckelton, then published in a scholarly book in 2013.

Downloadable Workshop Papers  [Participants only: Login and password required]

2010 - Managing High-Risk Offenders: Policy and Practice

In May 2010, sixteen mental health law academics from Australia, Scotland and USA attended this workshop in Monash University's Prato Centre, Italy.

The workshop addressed the following questions:

• What are some of the practical issues that have arisen following the implementation of preventive detention/supervision schemes for high risk offenders?
• What are some of the issues relating to assessing the risk of future harm in the management of high‑risk offenders?
• What diversionary programs/sentencing options should there be for high-risk offenders with mental illnesses?
• Should hospital orders be used in preference to imprisonment for offenders with mental illnesses?

The papers from the workshop are being edited by Professors Bernadette McSherry and Patrick Keyzer and will be published in a scholarly book entitled ‘Dangerous' People: Policy, Prediction and Practice.

Available from Routledge mid 2011 http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415884952/

2009 - Rethinking Rights-based Mental Health Laws

In May 2009, eighteen mental health law academics from Australia, Canada, Hungary, Ireland, New Zealand, UK and the USA attended a workshop in the Monash University's Prato Centre, Italy.

The workshop addressed the following questions:

• What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of rights-based legalism governing the mental health system?
• Do you think there are any alternatives to rights-based legalism and the advantages/disadvantages of these alternatives?
• In the rights-based legalism model, what should be the scope of mental health laws?
• In what manner should an international human rights framework guide mental health laws?

The papers from this workshop were edited by Professor Bernadette McSherry and Dr Penelope Weller, then published in a scholarly book entitled Rethinking Rights-Based Mental Health Laws. The book was officially launched by the Honourable Justice Marcia Neave AO in October 2010.

Available through Hart Publishing, Oxford via http://www.hart.oxi.net/books/details.asp?isbn=9781849460835