Police Use of Force in Mental Health Crises: An Analysis of Coronial Inquest Findings from Australia

Journal article

Dodd, Shannon, Morgan, Matthew, Weir, Bridget and Bowyer, Jordan. (2024). Police Use of Force in Mental Health Crises: An Analysis of Coronial Inquest Findings from Australia. International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy. https://doi.org/10.5204/ijcjsd.3560
AuthorsDodd, Shannon, Morgan, Matthew, Weir, Bridget and Bowyer, Jordan
Abstract

Police are frequently the initial responders to situations involving individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. These situations sometimes escalate to the point where police resort to the use of force, resulting at times in injury and, less often, loss of life. This study draws on data from coronial inquest reports of cases involving police use of fatal force against persons with mental illness from one Australian jurisdiction. It examines the contextual factors leading up to these incidents, the personal backgrounds and mental health histories of the individuals in crisis, and the tactical approaches employed by police leading to the use of deadly force. Understanding these insights is crucial as they can potentially guide efforts to reform police practices in dealing with individuals in mental health crises and ultimately may help to prevent fatal outcomes.

Keywordspolicing; use of force; mental illness; fatal; coroner; crisis
Year2024
JournalInternational Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy
PublisherCrime and Justice Research Centre, Queensland University of Technology
ISSN2202-8005
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.5204/ijcjsd.3560
Open accessPublished as ‘gold’ (paid) open access
Page range1-15
Publisher's version
License
File Access Level
Open
Output statusPublished
Publication dates
Online06 Nov 2024
Publication process dates
Deposited28 Jan 2025
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