Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-9pm4c Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-26T14:42:25.744Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Police referral of compulsory admissions — a comparison study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Harry Doyle  and
William Delaney
Harry Doyle
Affiliation:
Northwick Park Hospital, Watford Road, Harrow, Middlesex HA2 AJX, England
William Delaney
Affiliation:
Vergemount Psychiatric Hospital, Clonskeagh, Dublin 6, Ireland
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective: To determine the characteristics of compulsory admissions by the police and to compare them with compulsory admissions by other means. Method: A retrospective review over one year of the case records of 48 consecutive compulsory admissions after referral by the police was compared with 96 other randomly chosen compulsory referrals over the same period. Results: In both groups a majority had a chronic history of mental illness with frequent prior compulsory hospitalisation. Significant differences were found between the two groups with the police group more often younger, single, unemployed, males. They were also significantly more likely to suffer from schizophrenia and to have had their admission precipitated by behaviour of an assaultive nature, or by property offences, and on admission to spend a shorter period in hospital. Conclusions: It is suggested that at-risk case registers and the use of alternative emergency procedures will serve to lessen the need for police intervention with the mentally ill.

Keywords

Compulsory admissionPolice referral
Type
Original Papers
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 11 , Issue 3 , September 1994 , pp. 116 - 119
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1994

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Sims, ACT, Symonds, RL. Psychiatric referrals from the police. Br J Psychiatry 1975; 127: 171–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2.DHSS. Mental health statistics for England. London: Government Statistical Office, 1992.Google Scholar
3.Fahy, TA. The police as a referral agency for psychiatric emergencies – a review. Med Sci Law 1989; 29: 4, 315–22.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4.Health Research Board, Dublin, 1992, personal communication.Google Scholar
5.Turner, TH, Ness, MN, Imison, CT. Mentally disordered persons found in public places, diagnostic and social aspects of police referrals (Section 136). Psychol Med 1992; 22: 765–74.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6.Kent, DA. Police admissions to two English mental hospitals. Acta Psychiatr Scand 1972; 48: 78–83.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7.Rollin, HR. Unprosecuted mentally abnormal offenders. BMJ 1965; 1: 831–5.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8.Kelleher, MJ, Copeland, JRM. Compulsory admission by the police. Med Sci Law 1972; 12: 220–4.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9.Fahy, TA, Bermingham, D, Dunn, J. Police admissions to psychiatric hospitals: a challenge to community psychiatry. Med Sci Law 1987; 27: 263–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10.Marcos, LR, Cohen, NL. Taking the suspected mentally ill off the streets to the public general hospitals. N Engl J Med 1986; 315: 1158–61.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11.Harrison, G, Ineichen, B, Smith, J, Morgan, HG. Psychiatric hospital admissions in Bristol II: social and clinical aspects of compulsory admission. Br J Psychiatry 1984; 145: 605–11.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12.Lim, MH. A psychiatric emergency clinic: a study of attendances over six months. Br J Psychiatry 1983; 143: 460–6.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13.Durham, ML, Carr, HD, Pierce, GL. Police involvement and influence in involuntary civil commitment. Hosp Comm Psychiatry 1984; 35(6): 580–4.Google ScholarPubMed
14.Bittner, E. Police discretion in emergency apprehension of mentally ill persons. Social Problems 1967; 14: 278–92.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
15.Doyle, H. Psychiatric emergencies – evaluating a home based approach. Abstract presented at the Royal College of Psychiatrists Autumn Quarterly Meeting, London 1993.Google Scholar