Specialized Police Training on Handling the Mentally Ill in Crisis

D'Alessandro, Marcello (2005) Specialized Police Training on Handling the Mentally Ill in Crisis. Masters, Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Central Connecticut State University.

Abstract

This study evaluates the relationship between specialized police training and how such training effects officer decision-making and officer knowledge / awareness in dealing with the mentally ill. Previous research on the relationship between police and the mentally ill, as well as the role of training on dealing with the mentally ill, is reviewed. Insufficient training can lead to the improper handling of the mentally ill, which, in turn, can have a profound effect on officers, the respective community the officer serves in, the mentally ill, the criminal justice system, and the department in which the officer works. This paper examines if specialized mental illness type police training on the handling of the mentally ill in crisis has an influence on police officers’ knowledge of mental illness and officer decision-making. A quasi-experimental design was used to evaluate these topics. An 11-item measure depicting mock scenarios of the mentally ill in crisis was administered to three groups of police officers. The three groups consisted of officers that recently completed specialized mental illness related training, those that received specialized mental illness related training in the past, and officers with no post academy specialized mental illness related training. It was expected that specially trained officers would show greater mental illness knowledge and awareness. Moreover, it was anticipated that the specially trained officers would demonstrate favorable decision-making when confronted with the mock scenarios of the mentally ill in crisis. After analyzing the data, evidence was found lending some support to the hypothesis that specialized mental illness type training increased officer knowledge and awareness and positively influenced officer decision-making. These topics will be discussed in the following pages along with a review of past literature relevant to this study.