Silence After Stops? Assessing Youth Disclosure of Police Encounters

AbstractEncounters between individuals with a mental disorder and police forces can be harmful and dangerous for both parties involved. Previous research explored mostly police officers’ subjective experience of these encounters and focused on their recommendations. The present study takes the perspective of individuals with a mental disorder and investigates their subjective experience of dealing with the police. Thirteen semi-structural interviews were conducted with individuals with a history of mental health problems who have had encounters with the police and experienced contact-based anti-stigmatization interventions as consultants. Interviews revolved around the subjective experience of these police encounters. Questionnaires were used to inquire about context factors, individuals’ perceptions of police officers, and their sense of security during these encounters. Furthermore, individuals were asked to rate police officers’ ability to recognize signs and symptoms of ill mental health and give recommendations in regard to adequate communication strategies, interventions, and police training. The results indicate that encounters were experienced predominantly as positive and non-threatening. Participants emphasized the importance of communication strategies with a focus on empathy and respect. Keeping personal space and satisfying basic needs was recommended. Contact-based anti-stigmatization interventions were regarded as an effective approach to reduce stigma. Empathy and respect are perceived as key strategies for police officers when dealing with individuals with a mental disorder. To promote these strategies, trialogical anti-stigmatization interventions and crisis intervention training, including communication skills and face-to-face contact, are promising approaches.

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Police encounters with African youth in New Zealand – the impact on the youth, family, and community

Safer Communities ◽

10.1108/sc-01-2017-0001 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 16 (2) ◽

pp. 64-76

Author(s):

Camille Nakhid

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Police Encounters ◽

African Youth ◽

The Impact

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Police Encounters as Stressors: Associations with Depression and Anxiety across Race

Socius Sociological Research for a Dynamic World ◽

10.1177/2378023121998128 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 ◽

pp. 237802312199812

Author(s):

Sirry Alang ◽

Donna McAlpine ◽

Malcolm McClain

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Depressed Mood ◽

Social Stress ◽

The United States ◽

Health Data ◽

Police Brutality ◽

Urban Residents ◽

Depression And Anxiety ◽

Police Encounters ◽

The Relationship

Stress researchers have emphasized the relationship between social stress and mental health. However, research investigating police brutality as a stressor is scarce. The authors conceptualize police brutality as a stressor, examining racial variation in its effects on mental health. Data came from the Survey of the Health of Urban Residents in the United States ( n = 4,389). Negative encounters with the police were found to be associated with depressed mood and anxiety. The relationship between encounters with the police and depressed mood was stronger among Black respondents and Latinxs compared with Whites. Regardless of personal encounters with the police, the anticipatory stress of police brutality—concern that one might become a victim of police brutality—was associated with depression and anxiety. These findings highlight police brutality as an anticipatory stressor and have implications for whiteness as a resource that protects from the stress of negative police encounters.

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Youth‒Police Contact: Burdens and Inequities in an Adverse Childhood Experience, 2014‒2017

American Journal of Public Health ◽

10.2105/ajph.2021.306259 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. e1-e9

Author(s):

Amanda Geller

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Population Based ◽

Sensitivity Analyses ◽

Adverse Childhood Experience ◽

Childhood Experience ◽

Childhood Experiences ◽

Police Contact ◽

Adverse Childhood ◽

Police Encounters ◽

The Life Course

Objectives. To assess police contact as a potential adverse childhood experience by measuring its prevalence, nature, and distribution among urban adolescents. Methods. Detailed US population-based data on youth‒police contact were collected in the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (n = 2478) from 2014 to 2017. Using regression modeling, I assessed adolescents’ police exposure and the magnitude and robustness of racial disparities in police contact. Sensitivity analyses examined disparities by behavior and socioeconomic context. Results. Urban youths are heavily policed, beginning in preadolescence. Exposure to policing is unevenly distributed, with non-White adolescents—particularly Black boys—reporting more, and more aggressive, contact than their White counterparts. Hispanic‒White differences and disparities in girls’ experiences were less pronounced but present, particularly in how intrusive stops were. Intrusion disparities were robust to most behavioral controls, but not observed among youths with higher socioeconomic status. Conclusions. Given extant literature documenting adverse health consequences of police encounters, findings implicate policing as a driver of health disparities in adolescence and throughout the life course. Public health infrastructure dedicated to the prevention and treatment of adverse childhood experiences is well suited for mitigating these harms and inequities. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print May 20, 2021: e1–e9. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2021.306259 )

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