October is Mental Health Awareness Month sponsored by the Mental Health Commission of NSW. This years theme is 'Share the Journey' promoting positive social connections and relationships to increase health and wellbeing. This is to coincide with World Mental Health Day on 10th October.
According to the latest research released by BOCSAR (Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research) the rate of arrests for violence and property offences committed by indigenous persons has declined over the last 15 years however, the rate of incarceration of indigenous offenders has not declined.
Recently the Right Honorable Baroness Corston delivered a keynote address on women in the criminal justice system and the issues they face including mental health and social and environmental factors.
Mental Health Week is here! To celebrate, the ABC is again running its 'Mental As' campaign, showing a range of different TV programs this week to highlight mental health and its impacts on the individual, their families and the community. The ABC trailer and complete viewing guide can be found here. And don't forget World Mental Health day on October 10. This years message is that Mental Health begins with me, indicating that all of us have a responsibility to look after our own mental health and well being as well as to assist others who may require help with their mental health.
New research published in Law and Human Behavior has investigated the types of interview training received by Police, the use of various interview techniques, and whether they employ different techniques with adult versus juvenile suspects in an American sample. Importantly, the research found that Police officers are more likely to use the same techniques when interviewing juveniles and adults.
A recent ABC news article has highlighted the views of Western Australian Chief Justice Martin who discussed the negative impact of incarcerating individuals with a mental illness as opposed to other available options such as community service orders. To read the full article click here.
Dementia Awareness Month!
Neurodegenetative disorders such as Alzheimer's Disease, Frontotemporal Dementia and dementia due to Lewy Body Disease affect an increasing number of individuals and their families. Recent research undertaken by Alzheimer's Australia has found that persons with dementia and their carers are significantly lonelier than the general population. So, not only do individuals suffer from a range of cognitive and functional impairment, they often feel lonely and isolated.
New research by Lore Van Damme and colleagues explores factors which can influence reoffending in female prisoners and how these are linked.
Researchers from the University of Huddersfield, led by Dr Daniel Boduszek, have conducted a large scale study of maximum security prisoners to validate the use of the new Psychopathic Personality Traits Scale (PPTS), a 20-item self-report inventory, as a measure of psychopathy. The scale was administered along with six other well established measures. The important difference about the PPTS, according to Dr Boduszek, is that the scale does not rely on background factors such as criminal history, which can play a major role in other available diagnostic tools.
Disclosing a traumatic event, whether it be something a person has witnessed or experienced first hand, such as domestic violence, sexual assault, or combat in a war zone, takes great courage and can be a traumatic experience in and of itself- especially when the person receives a negative or insensitive response.