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For more than two decades, Frank Urbaniok shaped the discussion of violent offenders in Switzerland. Now, he resigns because of cancer at the head of the Psychiatric-Psychological Service of Zurich. The PPD is likely to continue the controversial star psychologist's line in the future.
Frank Urbaniok invented in his office at the head of the Psychiatric-Psychological Service the way of thinking that the right side is always that of the victims and not that of the authors. (Photo: Mirko Ries / Keystone)
For more than 21 years, Frank Urbaniok directed psychiatric psychiatric service. He must now leave the canton guard department of Zurich because of a serious cancer. This is what Monday announced the direction of justice and the interior of the Canton of Zurich. With Urbaniok, a successful and controversial psychiatrist leaves his post that he invented over the years
. Before Urbaniok began his career at the head of psychiatric psychiatric service, a case of murder shook society. In late October 1993, the corpse of a 20 year old scout leader was found on the Zollikerberg, buried naked in the forest floor, with several bites on the neck. The author: a prisoner from the Regensdorf prison, already convicted of eleven rapes and two sexual murders. The population and parents have moved after the terrible act the question of why. Why has this offender ever been on jail leave? The murder triggered a radical overhaul. There have been profound reforms in the justice system. Dealing with violent and sexual offenders has become more restrictive. In addition, the Department of Correction and Psychiatric Psychiatric Service (PPD) were established in the Canton of Zurich.
Four years after the assassination of the guide, Urbaniok eventually became chief physician of the PPD and is part of structural thinking. In the office, he invented the state of mind according to which the right side is always that of the victims and not that of the authors. In this sense, he focused on prevention in his work – and with it the question of how future risks from a criminal can be estimated as accurately as possible. The consequences of Urbaniok's work are exceptional for Jérôme Endrass, Chief of Staff of the Correctional Service: "He overthrew forensic psychiatry."
Focus on Victims and Offenders
direction of the new chief medical officer, the number of psychologists and psychiatrists employed in the PPD has almost doubled. Today, based on risk assessments, approximately 1,300 authors receive therapeutic care each year and 12,000 consultations are performed. Urbaniok has succeeded in combining two previously incompatible principles: victim protection and working with perpetrators. A society with fewer victims is a healthier society, was now the creed. Because, according to Urbaniok, this is in the interest of victims and perpetrators of violence.
The German-Swiss dual citizen considers that the prevention of crimes and relapses is a right of society. The starting points of his work are the act and the authors themselves: "What the man does and how he does it is not a coincidence," said L & # 39; 56-year-old man in an interview with NZZ. As an early advocate of client-led therapy in the treatment of offenders, the study of police records is at the beginning of any psychiatric evaluation. For the authors, the therapeutic approach means that they must focus heavily on their committed crime – a now recognized method.
Based on these beliefs, Urbaniok tried to systematise the early detection of potential hazards. In addition to his work as PPD's Chief Medical Officer with his own company, he has developed a system of risk analysis. This is called Fotres – Forensic Therapy and Risk Assessment System. Specifically, users of this program must answer questions about the evolution of the crime, but also about the author, his personality and his past. The software finally calculates the offender's risk of re-offending. Thus, a method has been created which, according to an internal evaluation of PPD, should have a precision of up to 70%. Fotres has also been rapidly deployed in many other cantons and abroad.
Under the direction of Frank Urbaniok, the PPD has become a leading institution in forensic research. Its leader has developed over the years the reputation of a star psychiatrist, whose voice can influence the country's political discussion in many media appearances. Although the brutal acts of violence perpetrated by murderers and rapists were at the center of the debate, Urbaniok still advocates a sense of proportion and tact in the treatment of perpetrators. Without being discouraged, he sticks to his convictions and polarizes them like no other doctor in public
The operating mode of the psychiatrist is characterized by a meticulousness that sometimes borders on the obsession. "He faced an extraordinarily high workload over the years and was available 24 hours a day for his employees, work partners and clients," says an evaluation of the Office for Correction (see supplement ). In his position as Chief Medical Officer, he established a family work environment despite constant observation of the media, says Endrass. The Chief of Staff of the Department of Corrections therefore calls Urbaniok "a visionary leader with many strategic skills". His departure, he even compared with the change at the head of the technological giant Apple by Steve Jobs to Tim Cook.
severe criticism of the method
So the leadership warned of the media and Urbaniok strong, his methods are controversial. One of his most severe critics is the Zurich psychiatrist Mario Gmür. He sees in the method of Fotres the danger that people are no longer punished for their actions, but for their personalities, quirks and preferences, as he explains this year in "time". The program offers a "statistical human inquiry of the devilish kind". On the occasion of a round table, Urbaniok replied to the criticism a few years ago: Gmür's statements are absurd and correspond to an exotic position that has long been refuted. The question is rather whether we prefer standardized quality assurance or whether we prefer to rely on a gastric prognosis.
But it's not just the Fotres program that has been criticized. Urbaniok's activities outside of his work as a DP leader also caused a stir. An article in the Der Sonntag newspaper sheds light on the secondary jobs of the star psychiatrist, who, in addition to his work as CEO, directs a practice of forensic psychiatric consultation. In addition, it operates licenses with its own company, which distributes rights to use the Fotres software, which the Canton of Zurich also acquires. His superiors, however, have seen nothing offensive. Long-time employees follow
Despite all the criticism, the PPD will continue to hang on the line of Urbaniok even after the removal of the disease. Together with Matthias Stürm and Michael Braunschweig, there are two long-time employees who, according to Jérôme Endrass, have already assumed a great deal of internal responsibility and will continue the work of the famous Chief Medical Officer. Urbaniok will not withdraw completely. He will continue his private activities in the field of forensic medicine in a reduced form. According to Endrass, his opinion also remains with the Department of Psychiatric Psychiatry: He is pleased that we can continue to rely on his advice in the future.
Urbaniok as "lucky luck for Switzerland"
scf . With the brief appointment of the well-known psychiatrist, the Correction Office Zurich reacts with an appreciation. This Monday, an era ends, according to a letter from the Directorate of Justice and the Interior. Frank Urbaniok has shaped forensic psychiatry more than anyone else in the past two decades. The employees describe him not only as a person with a high international reputation and credibility, but simply as a "stroke of luck for Switzerland".
Over the years, he has managed an exceptionally high workload. and customers have been available. He has repeatedly leveraged his skills and experience in the media and the public, as well as in crisis management.
During his 21-year career, Frank Urbaniok developed the psychiatric and psychological service. expanded. His credo is: A society with fewer victims is a healthier society. The criticism that Urbaniok favored unnecessary detention with his work is contradicted. The psychiatrist has always been against the excessive repression of the state. As for the detainees who were dismissed on the basis of his assessments and who have never been charged with delinquency, they have never made public accounts. Urbaniok will work in a private practice in the future.
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