LAWS6877 - Mental Illness: Law & Policy

Objectives

Examine the law relating to mental health issues in Australia including human rights principles.
Investigate the background material on the nature and incidence of mental illness, psychiatric and medical issues; consider criminological and public policy literature where relevant.
Explore substantive issues from civil treatment, welfare law and criminal law

Content

The social context of mental illness and the current and historical approaches to treatment of the mentally ill; contemporary State, Territorial and Federal involvement in mental health policy and legislation; the present framework of NSW mental health law and related welfare law; the process of scheduling persons with a mental illness; review mechanisms; longer term detention of the mentally ill; community treatment and community counselling orders; protected estates and guardianship orders; electroconvulsive therapy; consent to surgery and special medical treatment; defence not guilty on the grounds of mental illness, the review of forensic patients and the exercise of the executive discretion; the issue of unfitness to be tried; the involuntary treatment of prisoners in the correctional system; and proposals and options for reform.

Session

Semester 2 Intensive
2, 3 & 9, 10 September 2013

The timetable is subject to frequent changes. Please refer to the latest version of the Postgraduate Timetable.

Assessment

1 x 3,000 Word Assignment (40%)
1 x 4,500 Word Essay (60%)

Legal Professional Development (LPD)

You can credit this unit towards Legal Professional Development (LPD). Units of study that are part of Sydney Law School’s Postgraduate Program meet the necessary Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) of the Law Society of New South Wales and the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements of the New South Wales Bar Association. You may complete this unit of study by enrolling on a non-degree basis or on an audit basis only with no assessment via Single Unit Enrolment.

Courses this unit is available in

The University of Sydney - Sydney Law School