FORENSIC PSYCHIATRY RESEARCH IN THE SETTING OF THE JUSTICE SYSTEM

With
Professor Kimberlie Dean, Head of Discipline
UNSW Psychiatry and Mental Health
Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW & Clinical Academic Forensic Psychiatrist
and Research Lead for Forensic Mental Health Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network, Sydney, Australia

RESEARCHER PROFILE
Filmed in Sydney, Australia | May 2025

Prof Kimberlie Dean is Head of the Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health at UNSW. She was appointed to the inaugural Chair in Forensic Mental Health at UNSW in 2011, a joint appointment with Justice Health NSW.  She also holds a Clinical Academic appointment as a Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist with Justice Health NSW. She is Academic Program Director for the Masters Forensic Mental Health at UNSW.

Her academic journey commenced with studying medicine at the University of Tasmania and the University of Adelaide. During her medical training, she became intrigued by broader questions concerning mental health, which sparked her interest in epidemiological and population health research.

Prof Dean trained at the Institute of Psychiatry and Maudsley Hospital in London, completing clinical training in Forensic Psychiatry and a PhD in Epidemiological Psychiatry.  She returned to Australia over ten years ago to continue her work at UNSW.

Her research interests include understanding links between mental illness and offending behaviour including violence and testing interventions in justice settings/populations.  She is currently involved in a range of research projects involving survey methodology, data linkage and intervention evaluation.

At the heart of her research is a commitment to uncovering the truth and enhancing mental health for the most vulnerable community members.

Source: Supplied and adapted