The impact of the Manchester Arena terror attack: next steps for public safety and policy

Author(s):  
Tia Atkins
CNS Spectrums ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (5) ◽  
pp. 593-603
Author(s):  
Sarah L. Desmarais ◽  
Evan M. Lowder

Eligibility criteria for participation in mental health jail diversion programs often specify that, to be diverted, a candidate must not pose a level of threat to public safety that cannot be managed in the community. Risk assessment tools were developed to increase consistency and accuracy in estimates of threat to public safety. Consequently, risk assessment tools are being used in many jurisdictions to inform decisions regarding an individual’s appropriateness and eligibility for mental health jail diversion and the strategies that may be successful in mitigating risk in this context. However, their use is not without controversy. Questions have been raised regarding the validity and equity of their estimates, as well as the impact of their use on criminal justice outcomes. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the science and practice of risk assessment to inform decisions and case planning in the context of mental health jail diversion programs. Our specific aims include: (1) to describe the process and components of risk assessment, including differentiating between different approaches to risk assessment, and (2) to consider the use of risk assessment tools in mental health jail diversion programs. We anchor this review in relevant theory and extant research, noting current controversies or debates and areas for future research. Overall, there is strong theoretical justification and empirical evidence from other criminal justice contexts; however, the body of research on the use of risk assessment tools in mental health jail diversion programs, although promising, is relatively nascent.


Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (17) ◽  
pp. 5790
Author(s):  
Salwa Saafi ◽  
Jiri Hosek ◽  
Aneta Kolackova

Public safety agencies have been working on the modernization of their communication networks and the enhancement of their mission-critical capabilities with novel technologies and applications. As part of these efforts, migrating from traditional land mobile radio (LMR) systems toward cellular-enabled, next-generation, mission-critical networks is at the top of these agencies’ agendas. In this paper, we provide an overview of cellular technologies ratified by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) to enable next-generation public safety networks. On top of using wireless communication technologies, emergency first responders need to be equipped with advanced devices to develop situational awareness. Therefore, we introduce the concept of the Internet of Life-Saving Things (IoLST) and focus on the role of wearable devices—more precisely, cellular-enabled wearables, in creating new solutions for enhanced public safety operations. Finally, we conduct a performance evaluation of wearable-based, mission-critical applications. So far, most of the mission-critical service evaluations target latency performance without taking into account reliability requirements. In our evaluation, we examine the impact of device- and application-related parameters on the latency and the reliability performance. We also identify major future considerations for better support of the studied requirements in next-generation public safety networks.


Author(s):  
Hassan Ishtiaq Minhas ◽  
Rizwan Ahmad ◽  
Waqas Ahmed ◽  
Muhammad Mahtab Alam ◽  
Maurizio Magarani

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-68
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Sienkiewicz-Małyjurek

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the inter-related impact of the antecedents of collaboration on the emergence of relational risk and the impact of relational risk on the effectiveness of collaboration in public safety networks (PSNs). Design/methodology/approach The research is based on desk research and a survey questionnaire. The analysis of the results was based on the modelling of structural equations. Findings The analyses indicate how the antecedents of collaboration influence relational risk in PSNs and the extent to which this risk, in turn, may affect the overall effectiveness of collaboration in the networks studied. The findings identify the antecedents that have the greatest impact on the emergence of relational risks, the drivers of relational risk in PSNs and the impact of the drivers of relational risk on collaboration in the networks. Originality/value The study of relational risk is rarely undertaken with little literature or research in the field of public safety. The added value is the identification of the causes of the relational risk among the antecedents of collaboration in PSNs and the analysis of the impact of this risk on the effectiveness of inter-organisational collaboration.


2021 ◽  
pp. 001112872110399
Author(s):  
Richard Rosenfeld ◽  
Matt Vogel

Building on research by Rosenfeld et al., citylevel random coefficients panel models reveal a significant association between inflation and homicide rates that is only partially mediated by acquisitive crime. Inflation is more strongly associated with homicide rates in more disadvantaged cities. The impact of inflation on public safety should be considered when setting and evaluating economic policy. Future research should address the mechanisms, in addition to acquisitive crime, that link homicide and inflation.


2010 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 396-411 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Gabriel ◽  
Cherisse Boland ◽  
Cydne Holt

Criminalistics laboratories routinely provide cold hits in police investigations by comparing DNA profiles from crime scenes to offenders residing in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). Forensic DNA analysis is often glamorized in popular culture, where the perpetrators are identified and crimes solved within a single television episode. In reality forensic DNA hits can identify perpetrators of violent offenses, link multiple crimes committed by the same individual, or exclude suspects and exonerate the falsely accused. Unlike the media portrayals, downstream activities after a DNA identification or cold hit are often more complex. While the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) cites a national Data Bank of more than 7.2 million DNA profiles and 94,000 identifications nationwide, an in-depth analysis of public safety improvements made with CODIS is currently unavailable to forensic practitioners and public policy analysts. A review of case resolutions for 198 DNA database hits in San Francisco created performance metrics to provide a concrete measure of the effectiveness of DNA databasing efforts at the city and county level.


Management ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 321-336
Author(s):  
Tadeusz Tabaczniuk

Summary The paper presents basic legal conditions related to the operation and types of video monitoring systems. These considerations include the attempt to diagnose the impact of the use of video monitoring systems on the number of new cases initiated on the basis of the crime rate in the area of the city and county of Walbrzych. The article contains a comparative study based on this indicator in the studied area, in Poland and the EU countries.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea M. Stelnicki ◽  
Laleh Jamshidi ◽  
Amber J. Fletcher ◽  
R. Nicholas Carleton

Public safety personnel (PSP; e.g., communications officials, corrections workers, firefighters, paramedics, and police officers) are at risk of developing mental health problems due to experiencing potentially psychologically traumatic events during their career. Research examining evidence-based treatments for psychological injuries resulting from operational duties (also known as operational stress injuries) has not yielded robust results that would indicate ongoing interventions as the best solution for managing PSP mental health injuries; as such, proactive psychological interventions designed to bolster resilience are being considered potentially beneficial for mitigating the impact of occupational stress on PSP. Despite the growing popularity of resilience programs, most are delivered in a single session after an event deemed particularly problematic with no follow-up. Longer interventions may better support sustained resiliency, mitigate the impact of operational stress, and increase positive PSP workplace outcomes. The current article introduces the Before Operational Stress (BOS) program, which was designed for delivery early in a PSP career to enhance self-awareness and healthy relationships. The year-long program is derived from cognitive behavior therapy and group therapeutic techniques to meet program objectives. The current BOS program evaluation demonstrated small, statistically significant improvements in symptoms of PTSD, quality of life, stigma, and perceived social support from baseline (Time 1) to 6 months (Time 4). There were also non-significant improvements observed in symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, alcohol use, as well as in emotional regulation and resilience. Qualitative results indicated participants positively perceived the BOS program, with participants reporting specific improvements in self-awareness, avoidant behaviors, and relationships with family and colleagues. The BOS program content (e.g., functional disconnection and functional reconnection) and processes (e.g., psychoeducation within a supportive learning structure; mutually empowering group interactions) appear unique relative to other PSP resilience programs, with promising initial results in support of PSP mental health. Recommendations for future research and program development are provided.


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