Differences in Identifying and Responding to Behavioral Health Incidents based on Race

• In Event: Policing and Behavioral Health Issues

Abstract

Police encounters with those experiencing behavioral health crises can be fraught with issues, especially considering that police are not mental healthcare providers. However, before police even encounter these incidents, they are typically dispatched after a series of decisions and interactions between those calling 911, call center personnel, and dispatchers. The behaviors commonly displayed in behavioral health crises may be relatively ambiguous as well, with certain behaviors appearing potentially dangerous or even “criminal” to onlookers. Given the racial stereotypes surrounding both criminality and mental illness, our study examines the extent to which behavioral health crises are viewed differently based on whether the person in question is a black or white male. We randomly assign 200 participants to view either a video of a black or white male acting out identical behavioral health crises. We compare the extent to which they differ in their identification of the incident and hypothetical response to it. Specifically, we hypothesize that respondents will be more likely to identify the behavior of the black male as dangerous and to indicate that they would call 911, compared to the white male.

Authors

• Lauren Porter, University of Maryland

• Meghan Kozerra, University of Maryland

• Toryn Sperry, University of Maryland, College Park