Related Experiment Videos
Police involvement and influence in involuntary civil commitment
Hospital & Community Psychiatry
|June 1, 1984
Summary
Police involvement is crucial in involuntary civil commitment for mentally ill individuals, particularly in cases of violent behavior. Their presence significantly influences the final commitment decision, often being the primary determining factor.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Psychology
- Mental Health Law
- Criminal Justice
Background:
- Police play a recognized role in involuntary civil commitment.
- Empirical data on police influence in commitment decisions are limited.
- Understanding police involvement is key to improving mental health crisis response.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine police involvement in civil commitment referrals.
- To identify referral types and police assistance requests.
- To quantify the impact of police on commitment outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 3,570 randomly selected civil commitment case records in Washington State.
- Examination of referral sources and police assistance requests.
- Comparison of commitment rates with and without police involvement.
Main Results:
- Police are most frequently involved in referrals concerning violent behavior.
- Police assistance is often requested by referral sources in these cases.
- Police involvement is the primary factor in commitment decisions across most circumstances.
Conclusions:
- Police significantly sway involuntary civil commitment decisions.
- Violent behavior is a key indicator for police involvement in commitment cases.
- Police presence is critical for successful commitment outcomes in mental health crises.