Crisis Intervention and Police Contact Among Youth: Examining the Impact of Initial Contact Type on Future System Involvement

• In Event: Mental Health Consequences of Criminal Legal System Contact Over the Life Course

Abstract

Youth who come into contact with crisis intervention services and law enforcement often experience complex interactions with these systems, yet little research has examined how the order of initial contact influences their trajectories. This study investigates the relationship between crisis intervention and police contact among youth, contingent on whether they first engaged with crisis services or law enforcement. Using multiple years of administrative calls for service and incident reporting data from an East Coast police department, I analyze patterns of youth involvement in these systems over time. Specifically, I investigate the differences in prevalence of future contact, time to subsequent contact, and severity of subsequent contact with either system, depending on the type of first contact (crisis or police). Results and implications for policy and practice, such as potential intervention strategies for vulnerable youth, will be discussed.

Author

• Meghan Kozerra, University of Maryland