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WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Clinical guidelines and staff training recommend using de-escalation over restrictive practices, such as restraint and seclusion Evidence suggests that restrictive practices continue to be used frequently despite training This suggests a lack of impact of existing staff de-escalation training. WHAT DOES THIS PAPER ADD TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: The features of de-escalation training that are acceptable to staff and perceived to be impactful A co-designed and co-delivered training session on a trauma-informed approach to de-escalation on mental health wards was acceptable and perceived to be impactful Those attending training particularly valued how lived experience was incorporated into the training content and co-delivery The organizational and team context may need more consideration in adapting the training. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: De-escalation training that adopts a trauma-informed approach and considers the context of ward environments is acceptable to staff Co-delivery models of training to tackle restrictive practice can be acceptable and impactful Further research will show how clinically effective this training is in improving outcomes for service users in ward contexts., Abstract: BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests a discrepancy between recommended and routine practice in de-escalation in mental health settings, suggesting a lack of impact of existing training., Aim: To investigate the acceptability and perceived impact of a co-designed/delivered training intervention on a trauma-informed approach to de-escalation on mental health wards., Methods: Trainees were invited to complete the Training Acceptability Rating Scale (TARS) post-training. Responses to the quantitative items were summarized using descriptive statistics, and open-text responses were coded using content analysis., Results: Of 214 trainees, 211 completed the TARS. The trainees rated the training favourably (median overall TARS = 55/63), as acceptable (median 33/36) and impactful (median 23/27). There were five qualitative themes: modules of interest; multiple perspectives; modes of delivery; moulding to context; and modifying other elements., Discussion: The EDITION training was found to be acceptable and impactful, with trainees particularly valuing the co-delivery model. Trainees suggested several ways in which the training could be improved, particularly around the need for further moulding of the intervention to the specific ward contexts/teams., Implications for Practice: We recommend co-designing and co-delivering staff training to mental health professionals that tackles restrictive practices., Relevance Statement: This research is relevant to lived experience practitioners who want to be involved in training mental health professionals around restrictive practices, demonstrating the value and importance of their voice. It is relevant to current providers of de-escalation training, and to staff receiving training, outlining a novel, but acceptable and impactful, form of training on a key area of mental health practice. It is relevant to anyone with an interest in reducing restrictive practice via co-delivered training., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Forensic psychiatry fellowship programs recruit applicants through a nonstandardized process that differs by program. Although there are deadlines, informal guidance, and more recent communication guidelines, perceived differences in recruitment practices persist between geographic regions, small and large programs, and newer and more well-established programs. In the wake of a survey of fellowship applicants that found mixed opinions surrounding the application process, U.S. forensic fellowship directors undertook a mixed method quantitative-qualitative survey of their colleagues to assess interest in a match as a potential improvement and factors influencing that interest (e.g., program size, age, and unfilled positions). With responses from all 46 active U.S. programs, results indicated broad support for principles of fairness, transparency, and minimizing pressure on applicants, with an almost perfectly divided interest in a match. Respondents supported the use of a centralized database to standardize the application process and favored certain exceptions for internal applicants. Hypotheses about the reasons underlying program directors' attitudes toward a match did not yield significant results, with only the size of a program approaching significance. This novel comprehensive survey of forensic fellowship directors offers a model for assessing and monitoring the evolution of application processes for medical subspecialties interested in expanding and improving their recruitment., (© 2024 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.)

A systematic review of the literature on restoration of competence to stand trial identified a predominance of retrospective case studies using descriptive and correlational statistics. Guided by National Institutes of Health (NIH) quality metrics and emphasizing study design, sample size, and statistical methods, the authors categorized a large majority of studies as fair in quality, underscoring the need for controlled designs, larger representative samples, and more sophisticated statistical analyses. Implications for the state of forensic research include the need to use large databases within jurisdictions and the importance of reliable methods that can be applied across jurisdictions and aggregated for meta-analysis. More sophisticated research methods can be advanced in forensic fellowship training where coordinated projects and curricula can encourage systematic approaches to forensic research., (© 2024 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.)

Objective: This study examined the current state of forensic education among child and adolescent psychiatry (CAP) fellowship programs, regarding specific forensic topics, teaching resources, methods, and experiences. The authors aimed to gather and analyze this data to assess the need for additional standardization of forensic psychiatry education in CAP fellowship, such as broader access to resources, and/or inform the development of a standardized curriculum, including milestones, in child and adolescent forensic psychiatry., Methods: The authors collaboratively developed a survey instrument on child and adolescent forensic psychiatry education, which was then sent to 135 accredited CAP fellowship programs. The items included in the survey instrument were designed based on literature review, expert consensus, and a 1992 American Association of Directors of Psychiatric Residency Training survey on teaching ethics and forensic psychiatry., Results: Completed response data was returned by 25 of the 135 programs surveyed. Complete responses came primarily from academic institutions (52% public, 36% private) with small- or medium-sized programs (1-12 total fellows, 88%; 11-29 faculty members, 56%). Programs reported on CAP forensic rotation sites, faculty members' level of expertise and involvement in forensic CAP, common forensic topics and experiences offered, and programs' attitudes towards specific topics and experiences., Conclusions: Child and adolescent psychiatrists must gain a clear understanding of the essential components of CAP forensic psychiatry during CAP fellowship, to mitigate discomfort when interacting with the legal system and meet the rising need for forensic CAP expertise across systems and structures impacting youth populations., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Academic Psychiatry, LLC.)

Contemporary forensic psychiatrists practice in a system that has gender and cultural biases. Though we are only one small piece of the criminal justice system, learning about cultural and gender concerns is critical so that we properly engage and fulfill our mission of striving toward objectivity. Paternalism or chivalry are not the answer when faced with gender questions, as presuming color-blindness is not the answer when faced with cultural questions. Rather, we need to examine our own biases and educate ourselves. Many opportunities for teaching and public health exist in our field, each of which can help address these challenges on a larger scale as well., (© 2023 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.)

The authors surveyed general psychiatry residents across the United States to better understand residents' experiences with forensic training and to identify variables with the greatest impact on residents' exposure to, comfort with, and desire to learn more about forensic populations and settings. The survey inquired about these topics and the forensic psychiatry resources available at residents' training institutions. Respondents ( n  = 129) spanned eight of ten U.S. census regions. Residents' comfort with forensic psychiatry was low, whereas desire to learn was high. Residents' number of exposures and comfort increased with greater forensic experience in residency. Fewer than half of residents had completed a forensic rotation, were required to complete a forensic rotation, or had robust forensic resources available to them. Residents who had completed a dedicated forensic rotation had significantly greater forensic exposures and comfort; a finding that remained significant even after controlling for participants' PGY status. Among residents pursuing fellowship training, residents interested in forensic fellowship had more exposures during residency. This study represents the first published effort to survey general psychiatry residents from multiple residency programs regarding their forensic experiences in training. These results have implications for educators interested in developing broader exposure to and comfort with forensic psychiatry., (© 2022 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.)

The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada has recently introduced a new model of training for residents and fellows in all specialties and subspecialties, including forensic psychiatry. This model, Competence by Design, is intended to improve the training of residents with the goal of increasing the competence of practicing specialists. In the Competence by Design model, training is broken down into four distinct phases. Residents prompt their supervisor proactively when they are ready to be assessed on a specific task, and the feedback is specific and corrective. A resident's performance of each designated task is reviewed by a competency committee, which decides when the trainee is ready to move on to the next phase. In this article, we review some of the problems with the current model of training and explore how this new model will improve upon this training. We anticipate that this model will prove effective at improving training in forensic psychiatry., (© 2021 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.)

This study aimed to implement and evaluate a work-based personal resilience enhancement intervention for forensic nurses. A mixed methods design consisting of surveys, interviews, and a case study approach, whereby the experiences of a group of nurses were studied in relation to their experiences of an intervention programme to enhance personal resilience, was utilized. Nurses working on forensic inpatient wards were invited to participate. Senior nurses were recruited as mentors. Data were collected via pre- and post-programme surveys to evaluate nurses' levels of resilience. Post-programme interviews were undertaken with nurses and mentors to explore their experiences of the programme. Descriptive statistics of survey data examined changes in nurses' resilience levels pre- and post-intervention. Free-text survey data and interview data were analysed thematically. The SQUIRE 2.0 checklist was adhered to. Twenty-nine nurses participated. Levels of personal resilience (M = 4.12, SD = 0.60) were significantly higher post-programme than pre-programme (M = 3.42, SD = 0.70), (t49 = 3.80, P = 0.000, 95% CI = 0.32, 1.07). Nurses felt the programme had a marked impact on their personal resilience, self-awareness, confidence, and professional relationships. The benefits of the programme demonstrate the advantages of providing a nurturing environment for nurses to consolidate their resilience levels. Findings demonstrated that resilience enhancement programmes can increase nurses' levels of resilience and confidence and improve inter-professional relationships. Our findings are important for clinicians, nurse managers, and policymakers considering strategies for improving the workplace environment for nurses. The long-term impact of resilience programmes may improve nurse retention and recruitment., (© 2020 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.)

Objective: As the specialty of forensic psychiatry and the numbers of justice involved individuals with mental illness continue to grow, forensic education is receiving more attention. To add to this discussion, the authors reviewed current training practices in forensic psychiatry fellowship programs., Methods: As part of a project funded by the state legislature looking at psychiatry and psychology training, with special focus on state hospital partnerships, the authors interviewed and surveyed forensic psychiatry fellowship program directors and conducted site visits to select programs. Given the mandate, special attention was given to programs with state hospital and psychology training affiliations., Results: The literature and fellowship directors identified several key features and challenges for forensic training programs. Forensic fellowships focused primarily on evaluations and consultations but differed in their offerings related to training in treatment, scholarship, and particular types of evaluations. Common concerns included maintaining adequate funding, variety of training experiences, adequate faculty time, and adequate institutional support. Directors described cultivating institutional support by demonstrating mutual benefit as particularly important for securing resources., Conclusion: Forensic fellowships operational during the 2016-2017 academic year offered a range of forensic training activities, but experienced common challenges such as inadequate funding and faculty supervision. Empirical studies are needed to evaluate the relationship between programmatic offerings, the noted challenges, and acquired competencies.

Objective: In this study, the authors examined the consistency and the transparency of application instructions for forensic psychiatry fellowships in the USA., Methods: The authors collected the names of US forensic psychiatry fellowships listed in the Directory of Forensic Psychiatry Fellowships maintained by the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law. Using data from active fellowship websites, the authors extracted for each program: (1) timelines for applications and interviews, (2) whether an application form was supplied, and (3) the presence of specific application requirements (e.g., curriculum vitae, personal statement, letters of recommendation, residency training director evaluations, writing samples)., Results: Among 45 fellowship websites, 31 (68.9%) did not provide specific dates or months when their application cycle opened, nor did they indicate whether they accepted applications on a rolling basis. Fourteen (31.1%) did not have an application form, and 8 (17.8%) did not list application requirements. Among 37 programs that listed specific requirements on their websites, 36 (97.3%) required a curriculum vitae or letters of recommendation, 35 (94.6%) required a personal statement and/or letter of interest, and 27 (73.0%) required writing samples and/or evaluation materials from residency program directors., Conclusions: This study found considerable variations among online application instructions for US forensic psychiatry fellowships. Although many factors shape recruitment into forensic psychiatry fellowships, improving the consistency and the transparency of application instructions might decrease stress related to the application cycle and streamline recruitment into the field.

Psychiatrists without specialty forensic training routinely encounter forensic questions and treat justice-involved patients, which underscores the importance of adequate forensic training in general psychiatry residency. Some programs may face challenges providing adequate forensic instruction due to a lack of local forensic psychiatrists or other forensic resources. Novel training approaches are needed to fill this gap. This article describes the development, dissemination, and preliminary impact of two online learning modules designed to teach general psychiatry residents about basic forensic psychiatry principles: confidentiality and the duty to third parties. The modules are based on adult learning theory and synthesize clinically relevant vignettes from historically significant legal cases. We disseminated the modules nationally with built-in pre-tests and post-tests. The module responses demonstrate three significant themes: the modules reached learners across the United States; even advanced residents had relatively low subject matter knowledge prior to module completion; and module completion was associated with a significant improvement in resident learners' knowledge of these two topics. This work shows one potential avenue for filling gaps in forensic education within general psychiatry training, although further studies are needed to appreciate the impact of such educational interventions on clinical practice., (© 2020 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.)

In Washington State, like many states, there is a shortage of forensically trained mental health clinicians to work with criminal justice-involved individuals. At the direction of the state legislature, a collaborative project was undertaken by the University of Washington, the state Department of Social and Health Services, and a state psychiatric hospital to develop a proposal for a jointly sponsored forensic teaching service. The authors reviewed the literature, surveyed and interviewed forensic psychiatry and psychology training directors, and conducted site visits of selected training programs that offer multidisciplinary training or have affiliations with state hospitals. The authors conducted focus groups of additional stakeholders, including clinicians and patients in forensic settings, to better understand the needs in Washington. The authors report on several common benefits and barriers to establishing forensic teaching services. Other states and forensic programs may find this article useful in identifying common considerations for forensic mental health teaching services., (© 2019 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.)

Full Document: Alonso-Katzowitz JS, Cardasis W, Cerny-Suelzer CA, et al: Practice Resource for Forensic Training in General Psychiatry Residency Programs. Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online Supplement 2019, 47 (1). Available at: http://www.jaapl.org/content/47/1_Supplement., (© 2019 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.)

Objective: The growth of forensic psychiatry has spurred efforts to improve forensic psychiatry training in general psychiatry residency. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education requires that residencies provide an experience that "exposes" residents to forensic issues, but leaves the specifics to individual programs. However, there is growing need for psychiatrists to understand the unique circumstances of individuals with mental illness involved in the criminal justice system., Methods: The authors developed a new mandatory forensic rotation for general psychiatry residents and conducted a pilot study to assess its impact on residents' interest and comfort working with criminal justice-involved patients, interest in forensic fellowship, and knowledge of available resources for consultation and supervision., Results: Rotation completion was associated with a significantly increased interest in working with forensic populations and pursuing forensic fellowship, but no changes in residents' level of comfort or knowledge of supervisory and consultative resources., Conclusions: This study adds to the growing body of literature describing the benefits of expanding forensic education for residents.

Background: Forensic psychiatry attracts considerable attention from media and politicians. All psychiatrists, not only those working in the forensic field, should be able to evaluate safety for society on the one hand and qualitative health care for psychiatric patients on the other. However, little attention is paid to specific forensic issues, in both psychiatric training and in medical school.
AIM: To map relevant topics for a forensic psychiatric curriculum in medical schools and psychiatric residency training.
METHOD: The main findings regarding educational topics in forensic psychiatry are discussed based on policy papers and scientific articles.
RESULTS: Four important topics should be covered in general psychiatric training, i.e. mental health legislation, risk assessment and management, professionalism and ethics, and expert witness training. The Netherlands has a specific training programme for psychiatrists interested in expert report writing and testimony for criminal courts. In Belgium, psychiatrists can acquire specific professional competence in forensic psychiatry.
CONCLUSION: Acknowledgement of the above-mentioned topics in the general medical and psychiatric curriculum will lead to better knowledge and competencies for all psychiatrists, both in Belgium and the Netherlands. Continuing attention and evaluation will be necessary given the high societal relevance.

Psychiatry residents' experiences in forensic psychiatry vary greatly across the country, and many psychiatry programs meet the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education requirements for a forensic experience through general psychiatry rotations (e.g., on a consult-liaison service) or classroom-based activities. Forensic clinical experiences during psychiatry residency are important for preparing future general psychiatrists for practice with justice-involved patients, generating interest in forensic psychiatry, and easing the transition from "healer to evaluator" for future fellows. Unfortunately, residency programs interested in expanding their forensic training may face many challenges because of current regulatory frameworks, the nature of forensic practice, and competing demands within residency training programs. This article describes these challenges, and the experience of the authors at one institution with developing a novel forensic experience in a criminal justice diversion setting. The authors conclude with some practical considerations for educators interested in developing forensic experiences at their institutions., (© 2018 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.)

Objectives: This paper describes the main areas of civil forensic psychiatry (FP) and the skills required by psychiatric experts. Some specific areas of civil FP are discussed, including tort law reform, reliability of psychiatric evidence, contentious psychiatric disorders, and the many domains of civil FP., Conclusions: Civil FP is an important sub-specialty component of forensic psychiatry that requires greater emphasis in the training and continuing education of psychiatrists. A process of accrediting psychiatrists as having competency in advanced civil FP may be of value.

Very few residency and fellowship programs offer mandatory or elective rotations in health advocacy. Where there are formal training opportunities, they are commonly didactic or clinical community rotations, where trainees participate in a clinically oriented project with a local community organization. Fewer programs offer specific training opportunities in legislative advocacy and the legislative process. The University of Washington assembled two task forces to advise the general psychiatry residency program on training needs in the areas of (1) Forensic Psychiatry and (2) Advocacy and Public Policy. Both task forces identified, as an aspirational goal, resident involvement in legislative and regulatory processes as means of advocacy. This article describes a model curriculum in legislation developed at the University of Washington that is suitable for trainees at different stages in their professional development (including residents and fellows), and an explanation of how the curriculum supports training in forensic psychiatry. Challenges in creating the elective training opportunity are also discussed., (© 2018 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.)

Dr. Piel presents a model curriculum for elective legislative advocacy training of general psychiatry residents at the University of Washington. In this commentary, we discuss the role of the physician as a leader in legislative advocacy and emphasize the need for training in this neglected arena. We highlight the common ground between legislative advocacy and forensic psychiatry and make a case for increased involvement of forensic psychiatrists., (© 2018 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.)

Objectives: Scholarly projects (SPs) are a compulsory component of psychiatry training in Australasia. This article outlines the role of a research supervisor in supporting a trainee to complete an SP., Methods: A total of 10 old age and forensic psychiatry SPs were reviewed with regard to aims, methodology, supervisor input, trainee tasks and additional resources., Results: The main supervisor tasks are described and discussed. They include practical advice on study design, ethics applications, critical appraisal, data analysis, academic writing and publication., Conclusions: Supervising SPs can bring significant rewards in awakening a trainee's interest in research. Key competencies for research supervision are discussed and further recommendations for supervisor support and training are provided.

Objective: In 1999, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and the American Board of Medical Specialties identified six core competencies for medical practice. In 2013, the milestones were introduced to demonstrate these educational outcomes across each specialty. This study represents the first examination of the sub-specialty Forensic Psychiatry Milestones., Methods: Members of the Association of Directors of Forensic Psychiatry Fellowships were surveyed. Areas of inquiry included whether milestones assisted in identifying areas of deficiency in fellows or programs, whether the graduation milestones matched the goals of training, and what changes were planned, or had been made, based on their implementation., Results: Twenty-six of 35 programs responded, for a response rate of 74%. The majority found the milestones somewhat or very useful, half found the graduation-level milestones matched the program's graduation goals, and a significant majority reported that the milestones assisted in identifying improvements, change, or intended change. In choosing terms to describe the milestones, however respondents chose a variety of negative or neutral terms, rather than positive ones., Conclusions: The milestones provided a standard mechanism for identifying areas for improvement and a common language to standardize practice. However, due to the variability across fellowship programs and the limitations of educational resources and time, implementation of the new ACGME requirement was characterized in largely negative terms. Recommendations for improvement included modification of the milestones themselves, flexibility in their implementation, and evidentiary support for their use.

Background: The majority of research studies on medical student attitudes toward psychiatry focus on influencing factors and the medical school experience. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a one-day visit to a high secure forensic psychiatric unit on medical students' attitudes towards psychiatry and also assesses career intentions and the factors influencing these., Method: Change in attitudes and career intention were measured by administering a questionnaire, which included the 30-item Attitudes Toward Psychiatry (ATP-30) survey, at the start (time 1) and end (time 2) of the one-day visit. Qualitative data on factors influencing career choice was also gathered., Results: Evaluation of 284 responses revealed a significant increase in positive attitude towards psychiatry from time 1 to time 2 in the sample as a whole. The most influential factor on consideration of psychiatry as a career across all groups was the medical school clinical placement. For those that tended away from choosing psychiatry as a career, patient prognosis was important., Conclusions: Poor recruitment in psychiatry in the UK is already established which will doubtless be compounded by controversies surrounding the proposed new junior doctors' contract. Now more than ever, the need to inspire and motivate those at medical school encountering psychiatry is crucial. Our findings add to the body of evidence that the medical school clinical attachment is fundamental in shaping attitudes. However, these results also show that a well-planned visit to a specialised psychiatric unit outside of traditional placements can have a significant impact on students' attitudes toward psychiatry and mental illness in general. There is limited literature in the UK on enrichment activities within the psychiatry medical school curriculum. We propose that developing opportunities for enrichment activities within psychiatry could increase the scope of how we engage students in this fascinating field of medicine.

Objectives: We aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a day visit in changing attitudes towards a high-security forensic psychiatric hospital, with regard to the current recruitment difficulties in psychiatry., Methods: Broadmoor Hospital, a UK high-security psychiatric hospital, runs day visits for medical students, led by doctors. At the beginning and the end of the day students wrote their responses to the question, 'What do you think of Broadmoor?' Attitudes and themes were identified, and their prevalence was analysed., Results: The responses of 296 students were initially analysed; however, 19 responses had to be excluded because they were illegible or incomplete. Before the visit, 15 responses were rated as positive, 169 neutral and 93 negative. After the visit, 205 responses were positive, 69 neutral and three negative. The themes that changed markedly following the visit were those indicating a change to favourable attitude., Conclusions: A single day visit was shown to be effective in altering the attitudes of medical students towards forensic psychiatry within a high-security psychiatric hospital., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflict of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

This commentary describes the author's experience working at two separate detention centres during her fellowship. She initially describes her experience performing forensic evaluations. The terms 'competency to stand trial' and 'criminal responsibility' are defined. It then describes the author's experience working in an inner city and suburban detention centre. The two environments and patient demographics are compared to a traditional inpatient or outpatient community setting. Fictional patient encounters, based on an amalgamation of actual patients, are discussed.

Booth and his colleagues have made an important contribution to the emerging evidence base that shows education in forensic psychiatry topics can improve attitudes toward the field. Given the desinstitutionalization of those with severe mental illness from state psychiatric facilities and the incarceration of many individuals with severe mental illness in correctional facilities, the need to train many more psychiatrists with competence in correctional settings is clear. Simply training more forensic psychiatrists will not both meet the psychiatric needs of incarcerated patients and fulfill the essential roles forensic psychiatrists play in the justice system. Therefore, it is essential that all psychiatry residency programs include time allotted to forensic psychiatry just as time is allotted to the other major subspecialties, including child and adolescent psychiatry, addiction psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry, and psychosomatic medicine. It is likely that the only way to achieve this necessary outcome is through advocacy for the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) to mandate a rotation in forensic psychiatry, for psychiatry residency programs to be accredited., (© 2016 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.)

The clinical case conference has been a hallmark of undergraduate and graduate medical education for decades and affords attendees the opportunity to hear about interesting and difficult cases and to learn from a discussion of the complexities of diagnosis and treatment. In forensic psychiatry, the complexities in a case conference also extend to the formation of a forensic opinion. The application of the clinical case conference to forensic psychiatry has not been described in the literature, although many fellowship programs engage in this activity. In the forensic arena, special ethics concerns may arise regarding confidentiality, dual agency, and conflicts of interest. In this commentary, we discuss the implications of using the group approach to supervision and consultation outlined by Buchanan et al., as it relates to professional development and understanding of ethics among forensic psychiatry trainees. We also discuss the usefulness of this type of group consultation in faculty development, including the satisfaction of the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education's (ACGME) Common Program Requirements and, potentially, one part of the Maintenance of Certification requirements of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc., (© 2016 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.)

We investigated whether the Interview-Identification-Eyewitness factors (I-I-Eye) educational aid could sensitize mock jurors to the quality of eyewitness evidence in criminal cases which also contained circumstantial and forensic evidence. After participants were randomly assigned to read either the I-I-Eye or a control aid, they read a trial transcript containing either strong or weak eyewitness evidence. The police consistently followed scientific interviewing and identification procedures in the strong case, but not in the weak case. In two experiments, the I-I-Eye participants were approximately three times more likely than the control participants to enter guilty verdicts in the strong case than in the weak case. Thus the I-I-Eye educational aid increased participants' sensitivity to the eyewitness evidence. The I-I-Eye method provides a valuable analytical framework for evaluating eyewitness evidence in criminal cases. It may be capable of becoming "a standard feature for criminal cases" with eyewitness evidence., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Many mentally ill people are currently held in correctional settings, and general psychiatrists should be familiar with criminal forensic psychiatry in order to understand the legal aspects of the evaluation and treatment of these individuals, especially with regard to competency to stand trial and insanity. This educational activity briefly explains these evaluations and reviews relevant landmark legal cases., (© Copyright 2016 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.)

Forensic interviewers have a difficult job with high risk for career burnout and secondary trauma. Few studies have addressed how new forensic interviewers or trainees experience repeated questioning and multiple interviews. This study simulated the process of training new forensic interviewers through the creation of two interview videos in which social work graduate students participated as actors portraying the roles of interviewer and child. These films served as instructional aids preparing graduate social work students for professional child welfare roles while promoting research-based approaches to interviewing children about sexual abuse allegations. Qualitative data from two cohorts of student actors were collected to analyze interviewers' perspectives on repeated questioning and interviews in child sexual abuse cases. Two themes were extracted from the subjects' experiences: "It is emotionally taxing" and "Navigating the interviewer role is unexpectedly complex." Exposure to repeated questions and multiple interviews affected the performance and confidence of the interviewers.

The number of forensic psychiatrists has increased dramatically over the past 40 years. With this welcome development has also come some challenges for educating future generations of practitioners, specifically the greater demands on training programs and the need to divide practice hours among a larger pool of individuals. Junior trainees and experienced practitioners alike can benefit by supplementing work experience with well-designed, theoretically informed simulations. In this article, the theoretical perspectives of simulation, deliberate practice, and experiential education are discussed and linked to the design of mock trials, a form of simulation used to teach the essential skill of expert testimony. My argument is that, by explicitly linking the mock trial to learning theory, its efficacy and range of application can be increased. I provide recommendations for effective design and application., (© 2016 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.)

Purpose: To illuminate whether and how taking care of forensic inpatients is experienced as a burden among staff and managers in general psychiatry., Design and Methods: Qualitative analytical strategies based on interviews and questionnaires., Findings: The interplay between physical environment, bottlenecks, poor information exchange, lack of knowledge and competences, complex psychopathology, and a vague and therefore uncomfortable task of nursing leads to a focus on criminal offenses rather than mental disorders and an increased risk of brutalization and stigmatization in nursing practices. Members of staff identify the care of mentally disordered offenders in general psychiatric units as either "a parking space" or a very difficult or frightening course, where staff members tend to behave like pleasers in order to avoid risks of conflict or physical violence. Either way, it seems hard to provide sufficient mental health care., Practice Implications: Nationwide training and teaching as well as knowledge exchange between specialized forensic psychiatry and general psychiatry are recommended. Further exploration is needed on patient perspectives and on avenues to increase efficiency and decrease bottlenecks throughout the clinical pathways. Furthermore, we need additional knowledge of the impact on general patient populations' resources for treatment and their safety., (© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The Institute Philippe-Pinel (IPPM) and the Département de psychiatrie de l'Université de Montréal, who are both celebrating their 50 years, have intricated paths and a long history of collaboration. Since its conception (1964), the Institute Philippe-Pinel was planned to become a site for training and teaching in the bosom of the Université de Montréal.Unique in its mission to offer state of the art psychiatric care and forensic assessments to patients presenting a high risk of violence, the Institute Philippe-Pinel, throughout the years, was also able to leave its mark by the way of academic teaching to psychiatric residents and trainees of all disciplines, of organizing national and international conferences, of research and by the publication of numerous articles and books in the field of forensic psychiatry.With, from its beginning, psychiatrists at its helm, the Institute Philippe-Pinel has at all times greatly contributed to the academic activity of the department. Highly committed psychiatric clinicians and professors were always involved at all levels of the psychiatric department. With the coming of the forensic subspecialty, the commitment and influence can only continue.

Objective: The Ghent Group was established in 2004 as a forum for forensic psychiatrists from different countries in Europe in order to bridge the gaps in knowledge, experience, practice and care which exist between them due to their different legal traditions and constitutions in dealing with people having mental disorders who come into conflict with the law., Methods: The Ghent Group considers itself as a loosely organised think tank to which all interested and invited professionals can contribute without statutory restraints. Its aim is to facilitate communication with mentally disordered offenders appearing in court, to understand the procedures of our neighbouring countries and to find common ground between clinicians., Results: The major focus of the Ghent Group is on teaching and training both at a national level, where one can learn about the methods of training from each other, and at a European level. The group of trainees from different countries experiment in seminars in solving medico-legal cases considering European Human Rights issues and their respective national procedures and institutions., Conclusions: This helps not only to understand the differences between the national medico-legal procedures but also to deepen the understanding of the principles and practice in one's own country.

Objectives: We aimed to examine the experiences of advanced trainees in forensic psychiatry as they practise testifying as expert witnesses in a mock court setting., Methods: Five advanced trainees (including the first author) submitted court-ordered forensic reports in advance of attending the mock court. Senior colleagues had roles of Judge, prosecution and defence lawyers. House officers and medical students were summoned as jury. Over a year, each trainee had the experience of direct and cross-examination by opposing legal teams. Following the mock trial, each participant was given immediate feedback and subsequently asked to complete a semi-structured questionnaire., Results: The experience of participating in a mock court has learning value for advanced trainees specialising in forensic psychiatry in anticipation of giving evidence in a court of law. Constructive feedback enabled attendees to gain valuable education in a supportive setting. Of particular value was guidance in the use of technical language in presenting evidence in a court setting, knowledge of the breadth of questions that could be put forth to an expert witness, desensitisation training in an adversarial albeit simulated setting, and acquiring skills in staying calm under pressure., Conclusions: The importance of a well-written report, good preparation and anxiety management were significant learning points., (© The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2015.)