NCJ Number
64201
Journal
Crisis Intervention Volume: 10 Issue: 1 Dated: (1979) Pages: 18-27
Date Published
1979
Length
10 pages
Annotation
THIS STUDY MEASURED THE EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT STRATEGIES FOR TRAINING POLICE OFFICERS IN FAMILY CRISIS INTERVENTION SKILLS.
Abstract
TWO TRAINING PROCEDURES WERE UTILIZED WITH A SAMPLE OF 50 OFFICERS FROM THE MIAMI, FLA., AREA: A PASSIVE-VOLUNTARY RESPONSE TRAINING CONDITION AND A 40-HOUR CLASSROOM-ACTIVE TRAINING MODALITY. THE TREATMENT GROUP OF OFFICERS HAD COMPLETED AN ONGOING TRAINING COURSE IN FAMILY INTERVENTION; THE COMPARISON GROUP HAD RECEIVED COURSE HANDOUTS BUT NOT TAKEN PART IN THE COURSE; AND A CONTROL GROUP HAD NO COURSE EXPOSURE. BOTH EXPERIMENTAL GROUPS WERE COMPARED TO THE NO-TREATMENT CONTROL GROUP ON RATINGS OF SUBJECTS' INTERVENTION IN A SIMULATED DOMESTIC DISPUTE. RESULTS INDICATED THAT POLICE OFFICERS IN THE CLASSROOM/PRACTICAL INSTRUCTION TREATMENT CONDITION SCORED SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN MEMBERS OF THE TWO COMPARISON GROUPS. RESULTS FURTHER REVEALED THAT TREATMENT GROUP SCORES WERE HIGHER ON ALL PHASES OF THE INTERVENTION EXCEPT THE SAFETY PORTION. THE GREATEST DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TREATMENT AND COMPARISON GROUPS WERE IN THE ASSESSMENT, MEDIATING, AND REFERRAL ASPECTS OF THE INTERVENTION. FINALLY, THE STUDY PROVIDED EVIDENCE THAT EFFECTIVE BEHAVIORS FOR POLICE INTERVENTION IN A DOMESTIC DISPUTE CAN BE INCREASED AS A RESULT OF FAMILY CRISIS INTERVENTION TRAINING AND DEMONSTRATED THE EFFICACY OF UTILIZING POLICE AS PARAPROFESSIONAL MENTAL HEALTH AGENTS IN THE COMMUNITY. REFERENCES ARE GIVEN. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED - MJW)