Homicides by people with psychosis: why has the rate quadrupled in Victoria in the last decade and how do we address this?

Although most people with psychosis are never violent, there is an association between psychosis and violence, people with psychosis commit about 1 in 10 homicides, and most homicides in people with psychosis are a direct result of symptoms of psychosis and their impact. Therefore, mental health services and treatment have crucial roles to play in preventing such violence. Data collected in Victoria over the last two years shows a marked and significant rise in homicides committed by people with psychosis - a quadrupling since a decade previously. There are indicators of similar trends elsewhere in Australia and internationally. This presentation will outline what we know about psychosis and homicide, data on what has happened in Victoria recently, examine reasons for this significant and troubling increase, and importantly outline what should be done in policy, services and practice to reverse what could be regarded as a catastrophic failure of the service system for people with severe mental illness.

About the presenter

Dr Darjee has worked in forensic psychiatry for over twenty years in the UK and Australia. He is currently Clinical Director (Psychiatry) of Forensic Behavioural Assessment and Consultation Services in Melbourne, and Adjunct Professor at the Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science, Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne. He has extensive experience working in forensic services, including secure hospitals and prisons, but his primary area of experience and interest is community forensic mental health, which has been his main area of work for over 15 years. He has considerable experience and expertise in working with people with mental illness, personality disorders and paraphilic disorders who have committed, or pose a risk of, violent and sexual offending, in criminal justice, law enforcement and mental health contexts. He also works as an expert report writer and witness, primarily in criminal cases, across Australia. He has over 100 publications in the field of forensic mental health, including co-editing the Routledge International Handbook of Sexual Homicide Studies, and co-authoring Version 2 of the Risk for Sexual Violence Protocol (RSVP-V2).

Time and location

This event will be held at Graduate House, 216-220 Leicester Street, Carlton VIC 3053. We warmly invite you to join us for canapés and drinks from 5:30 pm. The presentation will follow at 6:30 pm.

Please email us at vic@anzappl.org for more information.

ANZAPPL Vic soirée - Dr Rajan Darjee

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