european psychiatric association

Forensic Psychiatry

Section committee

GOETHALS Kris , Chair
VAN LIER Ellen, Co-Chair
SCHILTZ Kolja, Secretary
TORT HERRANDO Vicente, Councillor


Section mission

This Section's mission is to:

Promote high quality care for mentally disordered offenders through improved standards of assessment, the development of effective interventions and an increase in research activity in the field of forensic psychiatry.

Section objectives

  1. To raise awareness of forensic psychiatry amongst members of the EPA, other professionals and the general public
  2. To increase and disseminate knowledge in the field of forensic psychiatry
  3. To promote collaboration amongst member of the EPA, between forensic psychiatry and other subspecialties and between the Section and other organisations with similar interests
  4. To promote and support research relevant to the field of forensic psychiatry
  5. To enhance our understanding of mechanisms underlying offending and violent behaviour in individuals with mental disorders, including biological, psychological and social factors
  6. To increase our understanding of effective interventions to improve outcomes, including mental health and offending outcomes and quality of life in mentally disordered offenders
  7. To raise standards of assessment and treatment of mentally disordered offenders in psychiatric and criminal justice settings, e. g. through the development of guidelines and position statements
  8. To compare legal frameworks, policies, models of service delivery and training within Europe
  9. To support teaching initiatives on forensic psychiatry within Europe
  10. To raise awareness of ethical issues in the practice forensic psychiatry
  11. To represent the needs of forensic psychiatrists who are members of the EPA

Annual reports