Michael Daffern

Professor Michael Daffern is a leading academic and clinician in forensic psychology, currently serving as Director of the Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science at Swinburne University of Technology's School of Health Sciences. He holds a Professorial appointment and concurrently serves as Consultant Principal Psychologist at the Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health (Forensicare). His research focuses on aggression and violence assessment, clinical treatment of offenders, and forensic mental health system improvement. Daffern has authored over 235 publications and secured grants totaling millions, addressing topics like prison violence reduction, offender rehabilitation, and aggression prevention protocols.

Education: BSc (Psychology) from UNSW, MPsych (Clinical) from University of Newcastle, PhD from UniSA, and Graduate Diploma in Higher Education from Monash University.

Research Interests:

• Forensic psychology applications in clinical practice
• Aggression dynamics in mental health inpatient settings
• Risk assessment instruments (e.g., DASA)
• Violence prevention strategies in prisons and forensic units
• Cultural aspects of offender rehabilitation across Asia-Pacific regions

Key Grants: Includes NZ$1.5M for 'Turning the Tide on Prison Violence' (2019–2025), ARC grants on risk assessment validity, and Victorian government contracts for youth justice evaluations.

Awards: 2013 Distinguished Contribution in Forensic Psychology Award from the Australian Psychological Society.

Advising: Supervises Doctorate (PhD) students in forensic psychology and clinical research.

Labs/Teams: Leads the Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science and collaborates with agencies like Forensicare, Corrections Victoria, and international organizations.