- Overview
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The intersection of law and mental health is fraught with challenges for individuals living with mental illness, their families, and for criminal justice and mental health professionals, alike. My students and I focus our scholarly work at this important juncture and concentrate our research on projects that have strong bench-to-bedside application. Our study results are intended to have direct relevance and speedy application to shaping practice and policy decisions in civil, forensic, and correctional settings. We have several large-scale programs of research:
Our CIHR-funded PATHWAYS study is documenting and evaluating the Redevelopment of Riverview Hospital;
CIHR is also funding a study of risk assessment and risk management to inform treatment planning and ultimately improve outcomes among former BC Corrections inmates and probationers;
We developed a concise clinical measure for the assessment and management of risk to self and others (Short-Term Assessment of Risk and Treatability, START);
We are also studying success and resiliency among individuals returning to the community following hospitalization and/or incarceration in jails and prison;
I am part of two national teams funded by the Mental Health Commission of Canada.The first project is studying mentally ill individuals who have come into conflict with the law and ultimately have been found 'not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder' in three Canadian provinces: Quebec, Ontario and BC (The National Trajectory Project). The second project is based on a "Housing First" approach. The At Home/Chez Soi Research Demonstration Project is investigating mental health and homelessness in five Canadian cities: Moncton, Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg and Vancouver.
- Publications
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Not Criminally Responsible on Account of a Mental Disorder for a Homicide: Examining Gender Differences to Identify Opportunities for Early Prevention
International Journal of Forensic Mental Health
Marichelle Leclair and Mimosa Luigi and Félicia Deveaux and Arianne Imbeault and Cédric Beauchamp and Andrew L. Gray and Mathieu Dufour and Tonia L. Nicholls and Michael Seto and Anne G. Crocker
DOI: 10.1080/14999013.2024.2382682
10/2024Mental Health Needs, Substance Use, and Reincarceration: Population-Level Findings From a Released Prison Cohort
Criminal Justice and Behavior
Amanda Butler and Tonia L. Nicholls and Hasina Samji and Sheri Fabian and M. Ruth Lavergne
DOI: 10.1177/00938548241238327
07/2024How Do Persons Found NCRMD and Identified as Indigenous Differ from Other Persons Found NCRMD: Profiles, Trajectories, and Outcomes
International Journal of Forensic Mental Health
Tonia L. Nicholls and Yanick Charette and Michael C. Seto and Malijai Caulet and Nicole M. Muir and Anne G. Crocker
DOI: 10.1080/14999013.2023.2205664
10/2023What Happens after Discharge from a Forensic Psychiatric Hospital?: An Analysis of Causally Complex Patterns of Recovery among People Found Non-criminally Responsible on Account of Mental Disorder
International Journal of Forensic Mental Health
B. Heylen and M. Caulet and A. Lemieux and M. C. Seto and T. Nicholls and A. G. Crocker
DOI: 10.1080/14999013.2022.2128111
04/2023Perspectives on the COVID-19 Pandemic Response in a Forensic Psychiatric Hospital: Informing Future Planning
Journal of Forensic Psychology Research and Practice
Christian Farrell and Tonia L. Nicholls and Karen L. Petersen and Lynn Pelletier and The FPH Emergency Operations Centre (EOC)
DOI: 10.1080/24732850.2021.1973232
05/2022Assessing the confidence-accuracy relationship in risk assessments using the START: introducing calibration analysis
The Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology
Christian Farrell and Karen L. Petersen and Tonia L. Nicholls and Ronald Roesch
DOI: 10.1080/14789949.2020.1814845
11/2020Individual, Service, and neighborhood predictors of aggression among mentally disordered persons
Law and Human Behaviour
DOI: 10.1037/lhb0000269
2017Childhood maltreatment and the risk for criminal justice involvement and victimization among homeless individuals
Trauma, Violence & Abuse
DOI: 10.1177/1524838017708783
2017Adverse childhood experiences and the risk of criminal justice involvement and victimization among homeless adults with mental illness
Psychiatric Services
DOI: 10.1176/aapi.ps.201600330
2017Forensic mental health contacts among homeless mentally ill individuals.
International Journal of Forensic Mental Health
2017Predictors of criminal justice system trajectories of homeless adults living with mental illness.
Roy L and Crocker AG and Nicholls TL and Latimer E and Isaak CA
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijlp.2016.05.013
PubMed: 27297073
06/2016Housing Trajectories of Forensic Psychiatric Patients.
Salem L and Crocker AG and Charette Y and Earls CM and Nicholls TL and Seto MC
DOI: 10.1002/bsl.2223
PubMed: 27138216
03/2016Identifying gender specific risk/need areas for male and female juvenile offenders: Factor analyses with the Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth (SAVRY).
Hilterman EL and Bongers I and Nicholls TL and van Nieuwenhuizen C
DOI: 10.1037/lhb0000158
PubMed: 26390056
02/2016Profiles of criminal justice system involvement of mentally ill homeless adults.
Roy L and Crocker AG and Nicholls TL and Latimer E and Gozdzik A and O'Campo P and Rae J
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijlp.2016.02.013
PubMed: 26922410
2016The perceived impact of trauma-focused research with forensic psychiatric patients with lifetime victimization histories
Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics
DOI: 10.1177/1556264616670769
2016Gender matters
International Journal of Forensic Mental Health
DOI: 10.1080/14999013.2016.1141439
2016Forensic mental health tribunals
Psychology, Public Policy, and Law
DOI: 10.1037/law0000084
2016Exploring gender differences in the utility of strength based risk assessment measures
International Journal of Forensic Mental Health
DOI: 10.1080/14999013.2016.1170739
2016Research Priorities in Mental Health, Justice, and Safety: A Multidisciplinary Stakeholder Report.
Crocker AG and Nicholls TL and Seto MC and Roy L and Leclair MC and Brink J and Simpson AI and Côté G
DOI: 10.1080/14999013.2015.1073197
PubMed: 26681928
07/2015Supportive housing and forensic patient outcomes.
Salem L and Crocker AG and Charette Y and Seto MC and Nicholls TL and Côté G
DOI: 10.1037/lhb0000112
PubMed: 25365472
06/2015The national trajectory project of individuals found not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder in Canada. Part 2: the people behind the label.
Crocker AG and Nicholls TL and Seto MC and Charette Y and Côté G and Caulet M
PubMed: 25886686
03/2015The national trajectory project of individuals found not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder in Canada. Part 4: criminal recidivism.
Charette Y and Crocker AG and Seto MC and Salem L and Nicholls TL and Caulet M
PubMed: 25886688
03/2015The national trajectory project of individuals found not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder in Canada. Part 3: trajectories and outcomes through the forensic system.
Crocker AG and Charette Y and Seto MC and Nicholls TL and Côté G and Caulet M
PubMed: 25886687
03/2015The national trajectory project of individuals found not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder in Canada.
Crocker AG and Nicholls TL and Seto MC and Côté G
PubMed: 25886684
03/2015The national trajectory project of individuals found not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder in Canada. Part 1: context and methods.
Crocker AG and Nicholls TL and Seto MC and Côté G and Charette Y and Caulet M
PubMed: 25886685
03/2015The national trajectory project of individuals found not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder. Part 5: how essential are gender-specific forensic psychiatric services?
Nicholls TL and Crocker AG and Seto MC and Wilson CM and Charette Y and Côté G
PubMed: 25886689
03/2015The use of risk and need factors in forensic mental health decision-making and the role of gender and index offense severity.
Wilson CM and Crocker AG and Nicholls TL and Charette Y and Seto MC
DOI: 10.1002/bsl.2162
PubMed: 25693951
02/2015La non-responsabilité criminelle pour cause de troubles mentaux (2014): Non criminellement responsable pour cause de troubles mentaux: Vers des pratiques et des politiques informées
Barreau de Quebec
2015Childhood and adolescent characteristics of women with high versus low psychopathy scores
Journal of Criminal Justice
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2015.06.001
2015Dynamic and static factors associated with discharge dispositions: the national trajectory project of individuals found not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder (NCRMD) in Canada.
Crocker AG and Nicholls TL and Charette Y and Seto MC
DOI: 10.1002/bsl.2133
PubMed: 25236295
09/2014Criminal behavior and victimization among homeless individuals with severe mental illness: a systematic review.
Roy L and Crocker AG and Nicholls TL and Latimer EA and Ayllon AR
DOI: 10.1176/appi.ps.201200515
PubMed: 24535245
06/2014Predictive validity of risk assessments in juvenile offenders: Comparing the SAVRY, PCL:YV, and YLS/CMI with unstructured clinical assessments.
Hilterman EL and Nicholls TL and van Nieuwenhuizen C
DOI: 10.1177/1073191113498113
PubMed: 23921605
06/2014Towards a national agenda on mental health and criminal justice
Psnopsis
2014The validity of Version 3 of the HCR-20 violence risk assessment scheme amongst offenders and civil psychiatric patients
International Journal of Forensic Mental Health
DOI: 10.1080/14999013.2014.911785
2014Predictive validity of dynamic factors: assessing violence risk in forensic psychiatric inpatients.
Wilson CM and Desmarais SL and Nicholls TL and Hart SD and Brink J
DOI: 10.1037/lhb0000025
PubMed: 23815092
12/2013Redevelopment of tertiary psychiatric services in British Columbia: a prospective study of clinical, social, and residential outcomes of former long-stay inpatients.
Petersen KL and Nicholls TL and Groden D and Schmitz N and Stip E and Goldner EM and Arnold LM and Lesage A
DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2013.05.022
PubMed: 23815971
09/2013Risk assessment in intimate partner violence
Partner Abuse
DOI: 10.1891/1946-6560.4.1.76
2013Personality disorders, types of violence and stress responses in females who perpetuate intimate partner violence
Psychology
DOI: 10.4236/psych.2013.49A1002
2013Using dynamic risk and protective factors to predict inpatient aggression: reliability and validity of START assessments.
Desmarais SL and Nicholls TL and Wilson CM and Brink J
DOI: 10.1037/a0026668
PubMed: 22250595
09/2012Risk assessment instruments in clinical practice.
Côté G and Crocker AG and Nicholls TL and Seto MC
PubMed: 22480589
04/2012Pilot Implementation and Preliminary Evaluation of START:AV Assessments in Secure Juvenile Correctional Facilities.
Desmarais SL and Sellers BG and Viljoen JL and Cruise KR and Nicholls TL and Dvoskin JA
DOI: 10.1080/14999013.2012.737405
PubMed: 23316116
2012Assessment of Multiple Risk Outcomes, Strengths, and Change with the START:AV: A Short-Term Prospective Study with Adolescent Offenders.
Viljoen JL and Beneteau JL and Gulbransen E and Brodersen E and Desmarais SL and Nicholls TL and Cruise KR
DOI: 10.1080/14999013.2012.737407
PubMed: 23436983
2012Prevalence of physical violence in intimate relationships
Partner Abuse
DOI: 10.1891/1946-6560.3.2.170
2012Taking Stock and Taking Steps: The Case for an Adolescent Version of the Short-Assessment of Risk and Treatability.
Viljoen JL and Cruise KR and Nicholls TL and Desmarais SL and Webster C
DOI: 10.1080/14999013.2012.737406
PubMed: 23436982
2012To detain or to release? Correlates of dispositions for individuals declared not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder.
Crocker AG and Braithwaite E and Côté G and Nicholls TL and Seto MC
PubMed: 21586195
05/2011Resilience and successful community reintegration among female forensic psychiatric patients: a preliminary investigation.
Viljoen S and Nicholls T and Greaves C and Ruiter C and Brink J
DOI: 10.1002/bsl.1001
PubMed: 21796675
2011The impact of realigning a provincial tertiary hospital system on other institutional sectors
Psychiatric Services
DOI: 10.1176/appi.ps.62.2.200
2011International trends in demand for forensic mental health services
International Journal of Forensic Mental Health
DOI: 10.1080/14999013.2011.625591
2011Protective factors in forensic psychiatry
International Journal of Forensic Mental Health
DOI: 10.1080/14999013.2010.534694
2011A narrative review of the effectiveness of aggression management training programs for psychiatric hospital staff
Journal of Forensic Nursing
DOI: 10.1111/j.1939-3938.2009.01061.x
2010Chronic violent patients in an inpatient psychiatric hospital
Criminal Justice and Behaviour
DOI: 10.1177/0093854809347738
2010Individuals found Not Criminally Responsible on account of Mental Disorder
Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health
DOI: 10.7870/cjcmh-2010-0020
2010Forensic psychiatric inpatients and aggression: an exploration of incidence, prevalence, severity, and interventions by gender.
Nicholls TL and Brink J and Greaves C and Lussier P and Verdun-Jones S
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijlp.2008.11.007
PubMed: 19081629
2009Kausalitätsmodelle zum Zusammenhang zwischen aggressivem Verhalten, Viktimisierung und versuchter Selbsttötung sowie relevante Risikofaktoren aus Sicht forensischer Patienten [Causality models about the association between aggressive behavior, victimization and suicide-related behavior as well as relevant risk factors as perceived by forensic patients]
Monatsschrift für Kriminologie und Strafrechtsreform
2009Mentally ill individuals in limbo: obstacles and opportunities for providing psychiatric services to corrections inmates with mental illness.
Olley MC and Nicholls TL and Brink J
DOI: 10.1002/bsl.899
PubMed: 19784940
2009Domestic violence and child custody
Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research
DOI: 10.1108/17596599200900011
2009Risk assessment: Are current methods applicable to women
International Journal of Forensic Mental Health
DOI: 10.1080/14999010903014747
2009Confidence and accuracy in assessments of short term risks presented by forensic psychiatric patients
Journal of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology
DOI: 10.1080/14789940903183932
2009Perceptions of motives in intimate partner violence: expressive versus coercive violence.
Hamel J and Desmarais SL and Nicholls TL
DOI: 10.1891/088667007782312113
PubMed: 18064970
2007Intimate partner abuse of older men: considerations for the assessment of risk.
Reeves KA and Desmarais SL and Nicholls TL and Douglas KS
DOI: 10.1300/j084v19n01_02
PubMed: 18077267
2007The Short-Term Assessment of Risk and Treatability (START): a prospective validation study in a forensic psychiatric sample.
Nicholls TL and Brink J and Desmarais SL and Webster CD and Martin ML
DOI: 10.1177/1073191106290559
PubMed: 16880282
09/2006Short-Term Assessment of Risk and Treatability (START): The case for a new structured professional judgment scheme.
Webster CD and Nicholls TL and Martin ML and Desmarais SL and Brink J
DOI: 10.1002/bsl.737
PubMed: 17171764
2006Of mice and men: will the intersection of social science and genetics create new approaches for intimate partner violence?
Janssen PA and Nicholls TL and Kumar RA and Stefanakis H and Spidel AL and Simpson EM
PubMed: 15618562
01/2005Female perpetrators of intimate abuse
Journal of Offender Rehabilitation
DOI: 10.1300/J076v41n04_01
2005Psychopathy in women: a review of its clinical usefulness for assessing risk for aggression and criminality.
Nicholls TL and Ogloff JR and Brink J and Spidel A
DOI: 10.1002/bsl.678
PubMed: 16333808
2005The gender paradigm in domestic violence research and theory
Aggression and Violent behaviour
DOI: 10.1016/j.avb.2005.02.001
2005Gender and psychopathy: an overview of important issues and introduction to the special issue.
Nicholls TL and Petrila J
DOI: 10.1002/bsl.677
PubMed: 16333811
2005Assessing risk for violence among male and female civil psychiatric patients: the HCR-20, PCL:SV, and VSC.
Nicholls TL and Ogloff JR and Douglas KS
DOI: 10.1002/bsl.579
PubMed: 14963884
2004Women inmates' mental health needs
International Journal of Forensic Mental Health Services
DOI: 10.1080/14999013.2004.10471205
2004Abuse committed by women against male inmates
Journal of Couples Therapy
DOI: 10.1300/J036v10n01_04
2001Assessing risk for violence among psychiatric patients: the HCR-20 violence risk assessment scheme and the Psychopathy Checklist: Screening Version.
Douglas KS and Ogloff JR and Nicholls TL and Grant I
DOI: 10.1037//0022-006x.67.6.917
PubMed: 10596513
12/1999A clinical risk profile of forensic psychiatric patients
International Journal of Forensic Mental Health
DOI: 10.1080/14999013.2011.600234Violence risk assessment of civil psychiatric patients with the HCR-20
International Journal of Forensic Mental Health
DOI: 10.1080/14999013.2016.1141438Factors associated with review board dispositions following re-hospitalization among discharged persons found Not Criminally Responsible
Behavioral Sciences and the Law
DOI: 10.1002/bsl.2220
Dr. Tonia Nicholls, in her words
Ahead of speaking at the Women in Science event, Feb. 10, Dr. Tonia L. Nicholls talks about her path to working at the intersection of the criminal justice and mental health systems, factors that facilitated her academic and career success and how her research has evolved over time.
