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Karen Daniels

Karen Daniels

PhD Candidate
Arts, Design & Architecture
School of Social Sciences

Email: K.Daniels@student.unsw.edu.au

Supervisors: Maree Higgins, Eileen Baldry, Susan Green

Karen is an Aboriginal woman with strong relationships with Kamilaroi and Darug communities and the wider context of justice. Karen has managed Medical Centres which involved supporting people with Serious Mental Illness (SMI) to access primary health care. Karen obtained a Diploma in Community Services which included subjects on Counselling and completed a Bachelor of Social Science with Distinction (2012-2014) and Honours Degree (2014-2015) in Criminology at the University of Newcastle. The title of her honours thesis was Mad and/or Bad? Structural violence and the experiences of forensic mental health patients in NSW. Karen is enrolled part-time Indigenous Student in the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture in the School of Social Science. The title of her thesis is “Conceptualisation, Management and Experiences of Forensic Patients in New South Wales 2000 – 2025”. She has researched reports and media stories on forensic patients, and interviewed patients about their lived experiences prior to and while in hospital.
  • Criminology- Forensic Patients
  • Mental Health
  • Prisoners

Submissions

  • Daniels, K., Higgins, M., Baldry, E. & McGee, P. (2022) People with Cognitive Impairments and Mental Health Disorders Detained Under Forensic Orders, Often Indefinitely, Subject to Restrictive Practices Including Chemical Restraint. United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment [CAT] Committee. 15th and 16th November 2022. Geneva: Switzerland.

Presentations

  • Daniels, K., Higgins, M., Green, S and Baldry, E (2023) “Conceptualisation, Management and Experiences of those with Serious Mental Illness in Forensic Settings in NSW 2000-2025”. Management of people in Forensic Units. Forensic Hospital Staff and Patients. Malabar NSW, 24th January 2023. University of New South Wales. Kensington: Australia.
  • Daniels, K., Higgins, M and Baldry, E (2023) “Management of people in Forensic Units.” Australia & New Zealand Forensic Mental Health Social Work Conference. Malabar NSW. 23rd March 2023. University of New South Wales. Kensington NSW: Australia.
  • Daniels, K., Heatley, C., Higgins, M and Baldry, E (2023) “Lived Experience of Forensic Patients in NSW.” at the National Forum into Cruel, Inhumane and Degrading Treatment of People with Disability and Mental Health Disorders in Australia’s Places of Detention. 26th July 2023. Kensington, Australia: University of New South Wales.
  • Daniels, K., McGee, P and Higgins, M (2023) “Collaboration within and beyond academia to end cruel degrading and inhuman treatment of people with disability and mental health disorders in Australia’s places of detention.” International hybrid conference through the Centre for Disability Studies Postgraduate Conference 2023: Academia, activism, and applicability. 21st October 2023. Leads: United Kingdom. University of Leeds.