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VIEWS OF REALITY: PERCEPTIONS OF POLICE RESPONSES TO MENTALLY ILL PEOPLE

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Date Issued:
2017
Abstract/Description:
Society's views about mental illness can influence their views regarding police-response strategies used with the mentally ill. The purpose of this study is to analyze the question: does mental illness impact perceptions of delinquent behavior and police responses? It is important to understand the effects of these interactions to better assist those affected by mental illness and avoid uncertain risks/injuries to the police and citizens involved in an incident. Labeling theory suggests that people may come to identify and act in ways that reflect how others label them as well as come to define mentally ill individuals in accordance with the label. My interest in understanding how police label mentally ill individuals as either deviant (out-of-the-norm) or criminal because of their condition motivated me to explore what other people thought about this. This study used survey analysis to collect data from 349 Facebook participants. Participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 scenarios (excerpt A and excerpt B). The only difference between these two scenarios is that excerpt B directly relates to mental illness while excerpt A does not mention mental illness. In relation to labeling theory, I predict mental illness will impact the perception people have about how police may respond to situations involving the mentally ill. Further studies should expand this research to examine this connection more thoroughly. The broader implications of this research is that it could create awareness as to ways in which to improve police training tactics that could in turn result in better support between mental health services and law enforcement.
Title: VIEWS OF REALITY: PERCEPTIONS OF POLICE RESPONSES TO MENTALLY ILL PEOPLE.
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Name(s): Gonzalez Cruz, Kiara L, Author
Huff-Corzine, Lin, Committee Chair
Reckdenwald, Amy, Committee Member
University of Central Florida, Degree Grantor
Type of Resource: text
Date Issued: 2017
Publisher: University of Central Florida
Language(s): English
Abstract/Description: Society's views about mental illness can influence their views regarding police-response strategies used with the mentally ill. The purpose of this study is to analyze the question: does mental illness impact perceptions of delinquent behavior and police responses? It is important to understand the effects of these interactions to better assist those affected by mental illness and avoid uncertain risks/injuries to the police and citizens involved in an incident. Labeling theory suggests that people may come to identify and act in ways that reflect how others label them as well as come to define mentally ill individuals in accordance with the label. My interest in understanding how police label mentally ill individuals as either deviant (out-of-the-norm) or criminal because of their condition motivated me to explore what other people thought about this. This study used survey analysis to collect data from 349 Facebook participants. Participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 scenarios (excerpt A and excerpt B). The only difference between these two scenarios is that excerpt B directly relates to mental illness while excerpt A does not mention mental illness. In relation to labeling theory, I predict mental illness will impact the perception people have about how police may respond to situations involving the mentally ill. Further studies should expand this research to examine this connection more thoroughly. The broader implications of this research is that it could create awareness as to ways in which to improve police training tactics that could in turn result in better support between mental health services and law enforcement.
Identifier: CFH2000180 (IID), ucf:45958 (fedora)
Note(s): 2017-05-01
B.A.
College of Sciences, Sociology
Bachelors
This record was generated from author submitted information.
Subject(s): mental illness
police response
delinquency
labeling theory
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000180
Restrictions on Access: public
Host Institution: UCF

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