A Forensic Psychiatrist's Journey: A True-Crime Conversation with Dr. Park Dietz
• Presented by Hopkins at Home and the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
• Featuring Dr. Park Dietz, Med '75 (MD), BSPH '75 (MPH), Med '84 (PhD); moderated by Dr. Peter D. Byeff (Med ’74)
Join us for an extraordinary virtual event with Dr. Park Dietz, globally recognized forensic psychiatrist and Hopkins alumnus. Dr. Dietz will offer a retrospective exploration of his storied career at the nexus of psychiatry, law, and public safety, illuminating the evolution of forensic psychiatry and its profound societal impact.
Dr. Dietz’s autobiographical talk will examine the interplay between media, crime, and mental health, drawing upon landmark research and his firsthand experience in defining the concept of “performance crimes.” He will critically evaluate ethical challenges posed by media coverage in high-profile criminal proceedings, and share nuanced perspectives from his consultations on landmark cases such as the trials of Jeffrey Dahmer and John Hinckley Jr.
Attendees will gain insight into the science and methodology of threat assessment, as pioneered by Dr. Dietz in developing innovative approaches to violence prevention within corporate, educational, and governmental spheres. He will discuss the clinical and practical complexities of identifying and managing risk, informed by decades of direct engagement with both offenders and multidisciplinary teams. Dr. Dietz will also reflect on the path to a career in forensic psychiatry—including the intellectual, ethical, and emotional dimensions of interviewing some of the world’s most dangerous individuals.
Our conversation will be moderated by Dr. Peter D. Byeff, MD (Med ’74), President of the Johns Hopkins Medicine Alumni Association and director of the George Bray Cancer Center at the Hospital of Central Connecticut.
We hope you will join us for this unique opportunity to engage with Dr. Dietz’s research, fieldwork, and multidisciplinary perspective at the forefront of psychiatry, law, and public policy.