POLICE PROGRAMS IN DOMESTIC CRISIS INTERVENTION - A REVIEW (FROM URBAN POLICEMAN IN TRANSITION - A PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIOLOGICAL REVIEW, 1973 BY JOHN R SNIBBE ET AL - SEE NCJ-10410)

• NCJ Number: 47065
• Author(s): D A LIEBMAN; J A SCHWARTZ
• Date Published: 1973
• Length: 52 pages
• Corporate Author: Charles C. Thomas
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

TRAINING PROGRAMS IN FAMILY CRISIS INTERVENTION IN 14 POLICE DEPARTMENTS NATIONWIDE ARE SUMMARIZED, AND FAMILY CRISIS AND INTERVENTION UNIT (FCIU) RECOMMENDATIONS ARE PRESENTED.

Abstract

POLICE TRAINING IN HANDLING DOMESTIC DISTURBANCES HAS GENERALLY BEEN INADEQUATE TO PREPARE POLICE OFFICERS TO COPE WITH THE COMPLEXITIES OF THE DOMESTIC CRISIS SITUATION. AS OF 1966, NO LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY IN THE NATION HAD A TRAINING PROGRAM IN THIS AREA DESPITE THE FACT THAT BETWEEN 5 TO 10 PERCENT OF AN URBAN POLICE OFFICER'S ASSIGNMENTS MIGHT INVOLVE DOMESTIC DISPUTES. AS OF 1971, AT LEAST 14 AGENCIES HAVE CONDUCTED TRAINING IN CRISIS INTERVENTION, AND MANY MORE ARE CONSIDERING DEVELOPING SUCH PROGRAMS. EACH OF THE 14 AGENCIES' PROGRAMS HAD UNIQUE ASPECTS, BUT CERTAIN SIMILARITIES OF PHILOSOPHY AND METHOD HAVE BEEN NOTED AND ARE BRIEFLY DISCUSSED. ALL OF THE PROGRAMS HAD THE FOLLOWING FEATURES: A GENERALIST-SPECIALIST PHILOSOPHY (NO DEPARTMENT HAS DEVELOPED A LARGE-SCALE, PURE SPECIALIST APPROACH -- ALL OFFICERS PERFORM REGULAR PATROL DUTIES ALONG WITH CRISIS INTERVENTION); (2) OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS (ALL HAVE USED OUTSIDE EXPERTS, USUALLY PSYCHOLOGISTS, TO DEVELOP AND CONDUCT THE TRAINING); (3) SMALL GROUP TRAINING (NONE CONDUCT THEIR TRAINING IN LARGE CLASSES); (4) INNOVATIVE TRAINING METHODS (SUCH AS ROLE PLAYING); AND (5) REFERRAL SYSTEMS (ARRANGEMENTS ARE MADE WITH A NETWORK OF LOCAL COMMUNITY AGENCIES FOR THE REFERRAL OF DOMESTIC DISPUTE CASES). THE 14 PROGRAMS REVIEWED ARE BROADLY GROUPED IN THREE CATEGORIES -- THE NEW YORK APPROACH; THE RICHMOND, CALIFORNIA, APPROACH; AND THE OAKLAND APPROACH -- ON THE BASIS OF THE THREE DIFFERENT CONCEPTUAL MODELS USED IN TRAINING. THE BASIC ELEMENTS OF EACH PROGRAM ARE BRIEFLY STATED, AND ASPECTS OF SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE ARE HIGHLIGHTED. IN EACH OF THE THREE GENERAL CATEGORIES, A MORE INTENSIVE CRITICAL SUMMARY IS PRESENTED FOR AT LEAST ONE OF THE PROGRAMS. THREE EXTENDED CRITIQUES (ONE FOR EACH MODEL) ARE PRESENTED FIRST, FOLLOWED BY BRIEF SUMMARIES OF THE PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED FROM THOSE MODELS. NINE FAMILY CRISIS INTERVENTION PROJECTS WERE VARIATIONS ON THE NEW YORK APPROACH, ONE WAS DERIVED FROM THE RICHMOND APPROACH, AND ONE WAS DEVELOPED FROM A COMBINATION OF THE NEW YORK AND RICHMOND METHODS. AS OF 1973, OAKLAND'S FCIU MODEL HAS NOT BEEN ATTEMPTED BY ANY OTHER CITY. THE EXTENDED SUMMARIES ARE CONCERNED WITH TRAINING METHODS, PROGRAM EVALUATION, AND EFFECTS OF THE FCIU PROGRAM ON THE REST OF THE DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS ISSUES BASIC TO THE SUCCESS OR FAILURE OF THE PROGRAMS. SPECIFIC FCIU RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TRAINING PROGRAMS ARE PRESENTED, INCLUDING: (1) SECURING AND MAINTAINING ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT; (2) SETTING REALISTIC, MEASURABLE GOALS; (3) AVOIDING TOKEN PROGRAMS; (4) PLANNING FOR THE PROJECT'S INSTITUTIONALIZATION; (5) INCLUDING SUPERVISORY PERSONNEL IN THE PLANNING AND TRAINING; (6) MAKING LONG-TERM PLANS FOR THE PROGRAM; AND (7) ARRANGING COORDINATION WITH REFERRAL AGENCIES. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (VDA)