NCJ Number
53888
Date Published
1976
Length
20 pages
Annotation
A FAMILY CRISIS INTERVENTION PROJECT IMPLEMENTED BY THE CLEVELAND, OHIO, POLICE DEPARTMENT IS DESCRIBED, AND AN INTERIM EVALUATION OF THE PROJECT IS REPORTED.
Abstract
TWENTY EXPERIENCED POLICE OFFICERS RECEIVED SPECIAL TRAINING IN THE SKILLS REQUIRED TO INTERVENE IN DOMESTIC CRISIS SITUATIONS. THE OFFICERS WERE ASSIGNED TO CRISIS INTERVENTION TEAMS IN TWO OF CLEVELAND'S POLICE DISTRICTS AND WERE TO BE CONTACTED BY DISPATCHERS FOR ASSISTANCE IN SITUATIONS INVOLVING FAMILY DISPUTES. THE ORGANIZATION THAT CONTRACTED TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN EVALUATING THE PROJECT PROPOSED TO GATHER AND ANALYZE DATA ON FAMILY DISTURBANCES AND FAMILY-RELATED CRIMES IN ORDER TO ASSESS THE IMPACT OF THE PROJECT, AND TO INTERVIEW THE CRISIS INTERVENTION OFFICERS TO DETERMINE THEIR ATTITUDES REGARDING THEIR TRAINING AND WORK. THE DEPARTMENT WAS UNABLE TO GATHER THE INFORMATION REQUIRED TO EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF THE PROJECT. EVALUATORS HAD ENVISIONED STATISTICAL ANALYSES OF DATA FROM REPORTS ON 600 FAMILY DISPUTES, SOME HANDLED BY SPECIALLY TRAINED OFFICERS AND OTHERS HANDLED BY REGULAR OFFICERS. A TOTAL OF 288 REPORTS WERE FILED. POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONS FOR THE LIMITED NUMBER OF FAMILIES CONTACTED IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROJECT ARE CONSIDERED, INCLUDING THE FREQUENCY WITH WHICH FAMILY DISTURBANCE TEAMS HAD TO BE DISPATCHED TO HANDLE ASSIGNMENTS OF HIGHER PRIORITY. THE RESULTS OF INTERVIEWS WITH THE FAMILY CRISIS INTERVENTION OFFICERS ARE REPORTED, AND THE OFFICERS' PERSONAL AND WORK BACKGROUNDS ARE ANALYZED. MOST OF THE OFFICERS FELT THAT THE TRAINING THEY RECEIVED WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR BOTH NEW AND EXPERIENCED OFFICERS. (LKM)