Examining Interactions Between Police and People with Mental Illness

• In Event: Police and People with Mental Illness

Abstract

The dismantling of mental health services in Canada has increased contact between people with mental illness (PMI) and the criminal justice system. The overrepresentation of PMI within the justice system has resulted in a national movement aimed at diverting these individuals away from incarceration and into treatment. While the focus has conventionally been on post-charge diversion techniques (i.e., mental health court), there is growing attention on the significance of pre-charge diversion techniques, such as the use of police discretion. Police officers are often the first point of contact between PMI and the criminal justice system, and how officers respond to these encounters significantly influences whether treatment for PMI is facilitated, or whether they become ensnared in the criminal justice system. In partnership with the Brantford Police Service, the current study will explore how police respond to calls for service involving PMI, as well as describe a sample of N=100 calls for service to the BPS that involve PMI occurring in 2013. The goal of this study is to provide an environmental scan of interactions between police officers and PMI that can inform recommendations for improving the effectiveness of these interactions.

Authors

• Krystle Shore, Wilfrid Laurier University

• Jennifer A.A. Lavoie, Wilfrid Laurier University