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Police Use of Force in Mental Health Crises: An Analysis of Coronial Inquest Findings from Australia
Dodd, Shannon Morgan, Matthew Weir, Bridget Bowyer, Jordan
Dodd, Shannon
Morgan, Matthew
Weir, Bridget
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.
Keywords
policing, use of force, mental illness, fatal, coroner, crisis
Date
2024
Type
Journal article
Journal
International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy
Book
Volume
Issue
Page Range
1-15
Article Number
ACU Department
Thomas More Law School
Faculty of Law and Business
Faculty of Law and Business
Collections
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
Published as ‘gold’ (paid) open access
License
CC BY 4.0
File Access
Open