NCJ Number
79765
Date Published
Unknown
Length
0 pages
Annotation
Dr. Morton Bard, an expert on family crisis intervention and conflict management, discusses results of a demonstration project with New York City police and the reasons why police officers should be trained in these skills.
Abstract
The demonstration project involved police intervention in 962 families, incidents which resulted in no homicides or officer injuries. Research has shown that two factors are vital to successful crisis intervention: (1) the immediacy of the intervention, meaning that the earlier the intervention occurs during the crisis, the more influence it will have on the person's life; and (2) authority, meaning that people expect police officers to act because they are both legally and symbolically the authority. Police officers must regularly deal with crises of various types, including natural disasters, accidents, and crime victimization. Dr. Bard discusses the psychological implications of various crimes which he classifies as being against the person, and thus devastating in one form or another to the individual. These include burglary, robbery, assault and robbery, forcible rape, and homicide. If these crimes are placed on a continuum, with burglary being the least physical crime against the person and homicide being total annihilation of the self, one can understand the reconceptualization of the functions and role of police officers in crisis intervention. Case examples are given to illustrate what positive results police officers can achieve in crisis situations through mediation, arbitration, and negotiation techniques, which are all elements in crisis intervention. Questions and answers conclude the talk.