Forensic psychiatry occupies a unique position at the intersection of mental health, criminal justice, and public safety. Historically, research and clinical practice in this field have emphasized the identification and management of risk—especially in relation to violent offending, sexual offending, and the likelihood of relapse or recidivism. While understanding risk remains crucial, there is growing recognition of the importance of resilience: the array of protective factors and adaptive responses that help individuals overcome adversity and avoid criminal behavior. Exploring both risk and resilience not only enhances public safety but also promotes better recovery, rehabilitation, and reintegration outcomes for forensic populations.

This Research Topic aims to broaden the discussion in forensic psychiatry by critically examining both risk and resilience factors in diverse forensic populations. Addressing risk involves not only improving assessment and prediction tools, but also refining interventions targeted at preventing violent and sexual offences as well as reducing relapse. Equally, there is a pressing need to elucidate how resilient processes operate in forensic settings, what protective factors contribute to desistance, and how these can be translated into effective clinical practice and policy. By comparing and integrating perspectives on risk and resilience, this Research Topic seeks to inform more comprehensive, person-centered approaches—balancing the need for security with the promotion of recovery and social reintegration.

We invite a wide range of contributions exploring risk and resilience in forensic psychiatry, with particular interest in:
- Advances in risk assessment for violent and sexual offending, and relapse prediction
- The role of dynamic and static risk/protective factors
- Interventions for risk reduction and resilience enhancement
- Theoretical and empirical analyses of resilience and desistance processes
- Issues in specific populations (e.g., women, juveniles, culturally diverse groups)
- Ethical, legal, and policy challenges in balancing public protection and patient rights

We welcome original research, systematic reviews, theoretical perspectives, clinical case studies, and other article types accepted by the journal. Submissions should critically engage with current literature and offer new insights into optimizing outcomes in forensic settings.

Are you interested in contributing a manuscript to this Research Topic?

Risk and Resilience in Forensic Psychiatry