Effectiveness of police crisis intervention training programs
Source: Journal of the Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
Resource Type: Documents and Publications
Focus Population: Peers/Clients/Consumers, People in Recovery from Substance Use, People with Criminal or Juvenile Justice System Involvement
Topics: Criminal or Juvenile Justice System, Crisis Continuum of Care, Substance Use Disorder(s), Suicide Prevention/Postvention, Trauma-Informed Care
Authors conduct a review of the literature on Crisis Intervention Training programs (CIT) which have been widely used at a national and international level to reduce lethality during interactions between law enforcement and individuals with a mental illness or substance use disorder. Officers are trained to identify individuals experiencing mental health crises. Their review shows that studies have not been able to demonstrate consistency in showing that CIT reduces mortality. Considering the findings, they suggest the need to further explore the effectiveness of CIT before considering further expanding it.