The collaborative development through multidisciplinary and advocate consensus of an accessible notice of rights for people with intellectual disabilities in police custody.

Background People with intellectual disabilities are over-represented in the criminal justice system. The United Nations' Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) enshrines a right to equal access to justice for persons with disabilities (Article 13, UNCRPD). Accessible information is a key aspect of exercising this right. Yet, many jurisdictions, including Ireland, are yet to develop accessible information for disabled people who may be arrested. Aims This paper describes the collaborative development through multidisciplinary and advocate consensus of an accessible (Easy -to- Read) Notice of Rights (ERNR) for people with intellectual disabilities in police custody in Ireland. Methods Guidelines developed by Ireland's representative organisation for people with intellectual disabilities and examples of international practice were used to develop a draft ERNR by the primary researcher in partnership with an expert from a representative organisation for people with intellectual disabilities. The ERNR was developed thereafter through two focus groups with a view to achieving consensus with a focus on accessibility, accuracy and layout. This included a multidisciplinary focus group with participants from a representative organisation for people with intellectual disabilities, psychology, speech and language therapy, the police force, public health, forensic psychiatry, mental health, law and, subsequently, a focus group of people with lived experience of intellectual disability. Results Progressive development of the ERNR resulted in incremental improvements in textual accuracy as well as the inclusion of more accessible language and imagery. Originality/value This is the first attempt at developing an easy-to-read document relating to the legal rights of suspects in police custody in Ireland and, accordingly, this procedural innovation promises to assist, not just persons with intellectual disabilities, but also those with limited literacy at the point of arrest. The methodology used in the preparation of the document, employing a focus group to achieve consensus with participation from both multiple disciplines and persons with an intellectual disability, is in harmony with the ethos of the UNCPRD. This methodology may usefully be employed by other member states that have ratified the Convention but have yet to develop accessible version of the legal rights and entitlements that extend to arrested persons under their domestic law.

Unconscious Bias, Racism, and Trauma-Informed Policing: an Address and Message to the Connecticut Racial Profiling Prohibition Project Advisory Board.

As a community member of the Connecticut Racial Profiling Prohibition Project Advisory Board, I wish to acknowledge the group for its work, but to make clear there is much more to be done. While the state's data show more parity across departments, we know that unconscious bias and racism still exists. I wish to advocate for the committee's work to focus on answering three new questions. 1. How does the community feel about its relationship with the police? 2. How do those who are stopped by the police feel about their experience? 3. To what extent do the police understand the principles of unconscious bias, racism, and trauma-informed policing? How effectively do they use that knowledge to help work with communities in policing?

Improving police conceptual knowledge of Mexico's law on cannabis possession: Findings from an assessment of a police education program.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Policing practices do not reflect recent decriminalization of drug possession in Mexico. We assessed knowledge of cannabis law as part of a police education program (PEP) post-drug law reform in Tijuana. METHODS: Officers took pre-/post-PEP surveys; random subsample (n = 759) received follow-up assessments. Longitudinal logistic regression (pre-, post-, 3-months post-PEP) measured knowledge of cannabis law. RESULTS: PEP increased conceptual knowledge of cannabis law from baseline to post-training (AOR = 56.1, CI: 41.0-76.8) and 3 months post-PEP (AOR = 11.3, CI: 9.0-14.2). CONCLUSION AND SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE: PEPs improve police knowledge of cannabis law. Reforms should be bundled with PEPs to improve policy implementation. (Am J Addict 2018;XX:XX-XX).

HIV, drugs and the legal environment.

A large body of scientific evidence indicates that policies based solely on law enforcement without taking into account public health and human rights considerations increase the health risks of people who inject drugs (PWIDs) and their communities. Although formal laws are an important component of the legal environment supporting harm reduction, it is the enforcement of the law that affects PWIDs' behavior and attitudes most acutely. This commentary focuses primarily on drug policies and policing practices that increase PWIDs' risk of acquiring HIV and viral hepatitis, and avenues for intervention. Policy and legal reforms that promote public health over the criminalization of drug use and PWID are urgently needed. This should include alternative regulatory frameworks for illicit drug possession and use. Changing legal norms and improving law enforcement responses to drug-related harms requires partnerships that are broader than the necessary bridges between criminal justice and public health sectors. HIV prevention efforts must partner with wider initiatives that seek to improve police professionalism, accountability, and transparency and boost the rule of law. Public health and criminal justice professionals can work synergistically to shift the legal environment away from one that exacerbates HIV risks to one that promotes safe and healthy communities.

[Unnatural deaths must be investigated better--risk of crimes being missed. Examination of the police and the health care system management of deaths in three counties]. / Onaturliga dödsfall måste utredas bättre - risk att brott missas - Granskning av polisens och sjukvårdens dödsfallshandläggning i tre län.

In 2008 only 55 % of all deaths not deemed to be natural in Sweden underwent a medicolegal autopsy. In the present study we describe and compare the characteristics of unnatural deaths in three counties through review of death certificates for unnatural deaths and, when applicable, corresponding police reports. The majority of unnatural deaths that were not reported to the police were among elderly decedents, with the deaths most often resulting from a fall-related fracture or head injury. One subgroup among these deaths that were not recognized as reportable by the involved physician, estimated by extrapolation to a total of approximately 300 annually, nationwide, was considered to be at elevated risk for a criminal death (homicide). The causes of death in this group were due to, for example, high energy or sharp force trauma, gunshot injury, asphyxia, and drug and/or alcohol intoxication. We conclude that additional training in the handling of unnatural deaths is indicated for Swedish physicians.

[Assessment of psychological conditions for the use of firearms in law enforcement]. / Evaluación de las condiciones psicológicas para el uso del arma de fuego en los cuerpos de seguridad.

To handle firearms safely, an individual needs to be in sound psychological conditions. This point is especially relevant in law enforcement, given that this group is likely to experience situations where there is a reasonably severe risk to life, physical integrity and that of third parties. These conditions cause high levels of stress and become a significant source of psychological strain. The assessment of these psychological conditions in law enforcement must stay ahead of this strain and should act preventively, establishing surveillance that is the product of a consensus between the needs of professionals and organizations. This evaluation should be conducted by technical specialists who understand and know the occupational reality of these professionals. A good assessment methodology starts with the need to discover the basic areas that need exploring, the ideal procedure for assessing these issues and the criteria that determine the aptitude (or lack thereof) for handling firearms. Once these goals have been established, we can be assured that the assessment will follow a set of principles that will give it homogeneity, effectiveness and efficiency. This type of assessment will help accomplish the mission that these security professionals are entrusted to by law, which is to protect the free exercise of rights and freedoms and ensure citizen safety.

A competence assessment framework for scientific support within policing in England and Wales.

The Association of Chief Police Officers commissioned Skills for Justice to develop a competence assessment framework to support police forces' scientific support units evidence the competence of their staff against nationally agreed standards of competence. This will also help forces on their journey towards ISO 17025 and ISO 17020 accreditation. A six point framework has been developed and published and is now being implemented across many forces.

Assuring gender equity in recruitment standards for police officers.

Human Rights Tribunals require application of non-discriminatory fitness standards in the hiring, promotion, and retention of employees. This issue has become controversial for public safety officers such as police, where differences in average levels of absolute fitness between men and women cause a high proportion of female applicants to fail many entrance tests. The present review summarizes the impact on physical working capacity of commonly encountered gender differences in size, body composition, haemoglobin levels, and muscular strength. The principles applied in designing content- and construct-validity occupational fitness tests are described, and Human Rights policies are reviewed in the light of the Meiorin judgment. Criteria are indicated for establishing a bona-fide occupational fitness requirement, and description is given of the approach used in developing standards that satisfy these criteria. Requirements are based on the task to be accomplished. The potential training response of female applicants is likely at least to match that of their male peers, and the needs of female police recruits are thus best accommodated by providing every opportunity to augment fitness to the required minimum level. The main weakness of any current requirement is that most police forces do not yet apply an equivalent criterion to older incumbent officers, where similar issues may arise.

Assessment of the quality of medical documents issued in central police stations in Madrid, Spain: the doctor's role in the prevention of ill-treatment.

Doctors sometimes assess allegations of ill-treatment. Reports from such examinations may be used if the practice of the police is to be appraised: they should therefore be relevant and exhaustive. We assessed, retrospectively, the quality of 318 medical documents concerning 100 persons held in central police stations in Madrid, Spain, from 1991 to 1994. In 71 documents concerning 44 persons the doctors quoted the detainee as alleging ill-treatment. Most of the documents appeared to lack significant information on history of ill-treatment and description of the clinical examination. Of 34 conclusions, ten were unacceptable and the premises were insufficient in 16. These observations point to weaknesses and needs for improvements in the fulfillment of the role of doctors as safeguards of the rights of detainees. Medical examinations should be conducted outside the control of police officers, by a neutral doctor using a check-list/protocol. The quality of the report should fulfill international standards.

The role of sub-lethal weapons in human rights abuse.

This article is based on two recent reports contracted by the European Parliament (EP), which assessed sub-lethal weapons as flexible tools of political control. It analyses the role and function of existing weapons systems in human rights abuses using examples from Indonesia, Israel, Kenya, Northern Ireland and Turkey. These weapons are designed to 'appear' rather than 'be' safe and, since they augment rather than replace lethal technologies, their use can distort conflicts and actually bridge the firewall between use of less-lethal and lethal technologies.

Enfoque de género y salud / Approach to genero and health

Una de las principales tendencias actuales es sin duda, orientar esfuerzos institucionales hacia un desarrollo humano basado en la equidad. Sin embargo, es difícil y complicado aún conciliar prácticas y discurso teórico sobre todo en el tema desigualdades entre hombres y mujeres

Delay in ambulance dispatch to road accidents.

When a road accident occurs, the police communications officer, or 911 operator, generally receives the first call. If the caller reports injuries, the emergency medical services dispatcher is notified immediately; but if the caller is uncertain of injuries, the operator may wait. Most often an ambulance is not needed. However, in nearly 20% of fatal road accidents in Missouri, waiting for confirmation of need resulted in a delay of 5 minutes or more in the dispatch of an ambulance.