Kimberlie Dean

Professor Kimberlie Dean serves as Head of the Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), holding the inaugural Chair in Forensic Mental Health since 2011 through a joint appointment with Justice Health NSW. She maintains a dual role as a Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist with Justice Health NSW and serves as Academic Program Director for the Masters Forensic Mental Health program at UNSW.

Professor Dean completed her clinical training in Forensic Psychiatry and earned her PhD in Epidemiological Psychiatry at the Institute of Psychiatry and Maudsley Hospital in London. Her academic journey has established her as a leading researcher at the intersection of mental health and justice systems in Australia, with particular expertise in understanding the complex relationships between mental illness and offending behavior.

Her research program employs diverse methodologies including sophisticated survey research, comprehensive data linkage across government sectors, and rigorous intervention evaluation within justice settings. Professor Dean has pioneered work examining mental health screening validity in correctional environments, longitudinal mental health trajectories, and gender-specific patterns of justice system involvement. Her studies frequently address developmental pathways from childhood adversity to later mental health problems and justice contact, with special attention to vulnerable populations including young people in custody and aging offenders.

Analysis of Professor Dean's extensive publication record reveals a consistent focus on improving mental health services within correctional settings and facilitating successful transitions to community care. Her work has significantly influenced policy and practice in forensic mental health services across New South Wales, with particular contributions to understanding mental health screening protocols, risk assessment approaches, and service delivery models for justice-involved populations.

Professor Dean leads the New South Wales Child Development Study (NSW-CDS), a landmark longitudinal research project that tracks developmental trajectories from early childhood through adolescence. Through this work and her leadership of the Masters Forensic Mental Health program, she has trained numerous students and established UNSW as a premier academic center for forensic mental health research and education in Australia.