NCJ Number
17898
Date Published
1974
Length
33 pages
Annotation
A DESCRIPTION OF THIS PLANNED POLICE CRISIS INTERVENTION AND REFERRAL PROGRAM, INCLUDING INFORMATION ON THE PROJECT BACKGROUND, ORGANIZATION, PERSONNEL, TRAINING, AND IMPLEMENTATION TIMETABLE.
Abstract
THE NEED FOR SUCH A POLICE UNIT IS INDICATED IN THE POLICE STATISTICS, WHICH SHOW THAT OVER 20,000 CALLS PER YEAR INVOLVE INTERPERSONAL DISTURBANCES. ADDITIONALLY, A SUBSTANTIAL PROPORTION OF ALL HOMICIDES AND ASSAULTS ON POLICE ARE RELATED TO THIS TYPE OF CALL. THE PROPOSED FAMILY CONFLICT INTERVENTION TEAM (FACIT) EXPERIMENT INVOLVES TRAINING POLICE OFFICERS IN SPECIAL TECHNIQUES FOR HANDLING CONFLICT SITUATIONS, ACQUAINTING THEM WITH RELEVANT PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES IN THE COMMUNITY, AND ESTABLISHING MECHANISMS FOR REFERRAL OF CONFLICT SITUATION CLIENTS TO APPROPRIATE PROGRAMS AND AGENCIES. ADDITIONALLY, IN ONE EXPERIMENTAL AREA THE TRAINED POLICE WILL BE PROVIDED WITH THE SERVICES OF A MULTIDISCIPLINARIAN SUPPORT TEAM. THE SUPPORT TEAM WILL PROVIDE A LINK BETWEEN POLICE IDENTIFICATION OF THE PROBLEM AND THE SUBSEQUENT FOLLOW-UP AND FOLLOWINGTHROUGH ON REFERRALS OF FAMILY CONFLICT CASES TO APPROPRIATE TREATMENT AGENCIES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. IT IS STATED THAT THE EXPERIMENT WILL BE PLACED IN A RIGOROUS EVALUATION FRAMEWORK ENABLING AN ASSESSMENT OF ITS EFFECTS. THE SPECIFIC EFFECTS ANTICIPATED INCLUDE A REDUCTION IN THE RATE OF CRISIS RECIDIVISM AMONG FAMILIES COMING TO THE ATTENTION OF THE POLICE, THE DEVELOPMENT AMONG POLICE OFFICERS OF SKILLS TO INTERVENE IN CONFLICT SITUATIONS WITHOUT THE USE OF FORCE AND WITHOUT ELICITING VIOLENCE AGAINST THEMSELVES, A DECREASE IN THE FREQUENCY OF RESORTING TO THE USE OF FORCE OR TO THE ARREST OF PARTIES IN A CONFLICT SITUATION, AND AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE ATTITUDES OF POLICE OFFICERS REGARDING THEIR CAPACITY TO MANAGE CONFLICT SITUATIONS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)