Sex Offences
Individual who have been charged with sexual offences often face family breakdown, social isolation, and sometimes media attention. The Central Melbourne Psychology team understands the sensitive nature of sexual offences, and provides the confidential and supportive environment needed for a constructive assessment. Collectively, we have assessed and treated several hundred sexual offenders and gained experience with the full spectrum of sexual offending. By utilising risk assessment tools to evaluate the presence of criminogenic factors, our assessment reports provide courts and others with reliable indications of risk, whilst providing realistic recommendations for effective treatment.
Our assessment and treatment teams work closely to ensure that clients are provided with the best chance of addressing the issues relevant to their offending. Our Sex Offender Treatment Program (SOTP) is often utilised by the correction system, and provides an efficient and effective means for clients to participate in individualised, offence-specific treatment in a private and professional environment.
Theft and Fraud
Offences relating to theft and fraud often involve impulsive actions related to financial or drug-related issues, but can also involve impulse-control disorders and other mental health problems. Central Melbourne Psychology has extensive experience with individuals charged with theft and fraud-related offences, from shoplifting and tax fraud to large scale commercial misconduct and misconduct in public office.
The inherently deceptive nature of theft and fraud raises issues of credibility that need to be taken into account during the assessment process. By utilising psychometric tools that account for deception, any potential distortion can be specifically address as part of the assessment itself, rather than being left unaddressed and so compromising the quality of the opinion provided.
Central Melbourne Psychology provides treatment for theft and other financially-motivated offences. The core objectives of treatment include behavioural modification strategies to contain an individual’s propensity for impulsive and sensation-seeking behaviours, addressing co-occurring substance abuse issues, developing prosocial lifestyle goals and challenging antisocial attitudes which may perpetuate theft-related behaviours.
Driving Offences
Offences relating to the use of motor vehicles are varied. Because driving is so central to our activities, our driving behaviour reflects our physical and psychological functioning. At Central Melbourne Psychology we have help hundreds of individuals facing driving-related matters. These have ranged from matters such as drink driving and driving whilst suspended through to the most serious cases of dangerous driving causing death and culpable driving.
Our comprehensive assessments make clear the factors involved in the offending. Our treatment programs are available to assist in resolving these issues and to assist the client to develop insight into the behaviours that need to change. Often those charged with culpable driving suffer intense psychological problems such as depression and trauma. Our programs help to make the full severity of these problems clear and to assist the individual with the task of resolving them.
Other Offences
The Central Melbourne Psychology team has the collective expertise to provide assessment and treatment in the context of almost any offence. Please contact us to find out how we can provide for your client's unique needs.
Violent Offences
Violent offences often arise from a context of early experiences of family conflict, difficulties at school, relationship breakdown, drug and alcohol use, and a range of mental health issues. Our comprehensive assessments provide a holistic picture of factors relevant to the courts in their decision-making process.
Having assessed some of the country's most serious offenders, Central Melbourne Psychology has earned a reputation for providing careful and comprehensive assessments of violence, from domestic violence to acts of terrorism. By utilising state-of-the-art actuarial and psychometric assessment tools, we provide courts with professional clinical opinions and assessment of risk grounded in the most relevant and up-to-date empirical research.
Immigration Matters
Individuals dealing with the migration system face a complex set of challenges. Central Melbourne Psychology has extensive experience working with individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. We have worked with many refugees and others dealing with the migration system.
In recent years we have seen an increase in cases where matters of an individual’s character and risk of recidivism have become important issues with regards to their migration status, permanent residency and/or visa.
Central Melbourne Psychology provides comprehensive reports regarding these issues. In assessing our clients we use state-of-the art assessment methods to ensure that our findings are robust and able to withstand close scrutiny. We are familiar with the major risk assessment tools and methods, and use validated psychometric tests to ensure that our assessments are comprehensive and reliable. Throughout our practice we take steps to ensure that these assessments are implemented in a culturally-fair manner without compromising the reliability of our findings.
Our psychologists are all experienced expert witnesses who can ably present findings to relevant tribunals and forums when required.
Drugs and Alcohol
Drug and alcohol-related offences are varied in nature and severity. Not all individuals charged with drug-related offences utilise substances, but offenders that use substances often have complicated histories, and it can be difficult to delineate the effect of substances from other mental illnesses and personality disorders.
The Central Melbourne Psychology team has extensive experience in the assessment and treatment of drug and alcohol issues. We have assessed and treated many hundreds of people addicted to a wide range of substance, including those who present with co-morbid psychological or psychiatric problems. Our treatment team provides drug and alcohol treatment, often in collaboration with other medical professionals, and works routinely in conjunction with others in the legal system and substance treatment agencies.