Forensic Psychiatry

As a branch of general psychiatry, forensic psychiatry deals with the diverse legal implications of mental disorders. These legal aspects must be constantly considered and applied in the context of clinical care.

Research foci are: Stalking, amok, sexual offences, EU projects on compulsory placement, the penal system and the penal system, social medical assessment standards, neuroimaging in paedophilia and psychopathy.

Further education and training

The further education and training of doctors at the CIMH with regard to forensic aspects (e.g. capacity to consent, involuntary commitment, compulsory treatment, capacity to conduct business and testify, culpability) is an important task. The Institute's assistant doctors receive theoretical training in this area as part of their specialist training and are instructed in practical assessment. Further training authorisation for the specialisation in forensic psychiatry has been granted by the North Baden Medical Association for a period of two years.

Assessment practice

In the area of forensic psychiatry for adults, assessments are carried out in all areas of law on the following issues.

• Criminal law: culpability, maturity assessment, placement in psychiatric care, relapse prognosis for mentally ill offenders, relapse prognosis for prisoners
• Civil law: legal capacity, testamentary capacity, capacity to consent, need for guardianship, psychiatric placement, capacity for parental care
• Social law: incapacity for work, occupational disability, earning incapacity, reduction in earning capacity, degree of disability/consequences of injury
• Compensation law issues: consequences of traumatisation, liability issues, malpractice in psychiatry and psychotherapy