NCJ Number
79307
Journal
Criminal Justice Review Volume: 5 Issue: 2 Dated: (Fall 1980) Pages: 66-73
Date Published
1980
Length
8 pages
Annotation
Factors in a police officer's decision to commit a person to a mental health facility for observation are examined.
Abstract
Data were obtained from a survey of 189 patrol officers in 17 small Florida police departments. Florida police operate under the Baker Act, which provides for the involuntary hospitalization of persons manifesting symptoms of mental illness likely to produce injury to themselves or others. It is the officer's responsibility to evaluate a person's potential for harm to self or others. In making such a judgment, the office must complete a report describing reasons for the decision. The judgment is reviewed by medical personnel at the receiving facility. Failure to follow the prescribed criteria can place the officer in jeopardy of civil or criminal liability. The officers in the sample reported an average of three such admissions yearly. The officer's personal observation of dangerous behavior may be the ground for a decision to commit; however, very often officers must rely on eyewitness testimony on the subject's behavior. Over one-third (39 percent) of the sample stated that eyewitness testimony was crucial in the decision to commit, while another one-third (37 percent) of the officers viewed eyewitnesses as influential but not crucial. One-fifth saw eyewitnesses as inconsequential in their decision. The officers noted conflicts with hospital personnel about the officer's decision to commit, and officer training for such decisionmaking was generally considered to be inadequate. Fourteen references and one footnote are listed.