Police Exposures and the Health and Well-being of Black Youth in the US: A Systematic Review.

Importance: Black youth in the US experience disproportionate contact with police even when accounting for criminal or delinquent behavior, which some experts say is fueled by racism and discrimination. While the literature supports the link between racism and adverse health outcomes, less is known about the impact of policing on the well-being of Black youth. Objective: To systematically review the literature describing the association between police exposure and health outcomes for Black youth 26 years and younger. Evidence Review: A search of PubMed, Embase, Criminal Justice Abstracts, PsycInfo, and Web of Science was conducted. Eligible studies included original peer-reviewed research published from 1980 to December 2020, with a participant population of Black youth, a focus on police exposure, and health as the outcome. Additional articles were identified by hand-searching reference lists of included studies. Data extraction was performed, followed by critical appraisal of all included studies using a convergent segregated approach in which quantitative and qualitative studies were synthesized separately followed by an overarching synthesis across methods. Findings: A total of 16 quantitative studies including 19 493 participants were included in the review and demonstrated an association between police exposure and adverse mental health, sexual risk behaviors, and substance use. A total of 13 qualitative studies including 461 participants were included in the review, which corroborated and contextualized the quantitative evidence and provided additional health outcomes, such as fear for life or hopelessness. Conclusions and Relevance: Evidence shows that police exposures are associated with adverse health outcomes for Black youth. Clinicians, scientists, public health practitioners, and policy makers can partner with local governments to enact reforms that mitigate the health impact of policing on youth.

Interactions Between the Police and the Autistic Community in Australia: Experiences and Perspectives of Autistic Adults and Parents/Carers.

This study aimed to describe the experiences of autistic people who had interacted with police in Australia in the previous 5 years. Fifty autistic adults and 61 parent/carers completed a questionnaire and 30 participants took part in an interview. Participants were most commonly interacting with police in the context of seeking assistance or as victims of crime. Autistic adults were largely unsatisfied with their interactions and reluctant to disclose their autism. Parent/carers reported significantly higher satisfaction than autistic adults and incidents involving children were rated more highly than those involving adults. Suggestions for improved interactions included increased autism awareness amongst police and use of appropriate accommodations. Areas for future research in relation to the evaluation of police training is discussed.

Jail diversion: the Miami model.

The Eleventh Judicial Circuit Criminal Mental Health Project (CMHP), located in Miami-Dade County, FL, was established in 2000 to divert individuals with serious mental illnesses (SMI; eg, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression) or co-occurring SMI and substance use disorders away from the criminal justice system and into comprehensive community-based treatment and support services. The program operates two primary components: prebooking jail diversion consisting of Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training for law enforcement officers and postbooking jail diversion serving individuals booked into the county jail and awaiting adjudication. In addition, the CMHP offers a variety of overlay services intended to: streamline screening and identification of program participants; develop evidence-based community reentry plans to ensure appropriate linkages to community-based treatment and support services; improve outcomes among individuals with histories of noncompliance with treatment; and expedite access to federal and state entitlement benefits. The CMHP provides an effective, cost-efficient solution to a community problem and works by eliminating gaps in services, and by forging productive and innovative relationships among all stakeholders who have an interest in the welfare and safety of one of our community's most vulnerable populations.

Structural barriers to condom access in a community-based cohort of sex workers in Vancouver, Canada: influence of policing, violence and end-demand criminalisation.

OBJECTIVES: Sex workers (SWs) face a disproportionate burden of HIV/sexually transmitted infections (STIs), violence and other human rights violations. While recent HIV prevention research has largely focused on the HIV cascade, condoms remain a cornerstone of HIV prevention, requiring further research attention. Given serious concerns regarding barriers to condom use, including policing, violence and 'end-demand' sex work criminalisation, we evaluated structural correlates of difficulty accessing condoms among SWs in Vancouver over an 8-year period. METHODS: Baseline and prospective data were drawn from a community-based cohort of women SWs (2010-2018). SWs completed semi-annual questionnaires administered by a team that included lived experience (SWs). Multivariable logistic regression using generalised estimating equations (GEE) modelled correlates of difficulty accessing condoms over time. RESULTS: Among 884 participants, 19.1% reported difficulty accessing condoms during the study. In multivariable GEE analysis, exposure to end-demand legislation was not associated with improved condom access; identifying as a sexual/gender minority (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.62, 95% CI 1.16 to 2.27), servicing outdoors (aOR 1.52, 95% CI 1.17 to 1.97), physical/sexual workplace violence (aOR 1.98, 95% CI 1.44 to 2.72), community violence (aOR 1.79, 95% CI 1.27 to 2.52) and police harassment (aOR 1.66, 95% CI 1.24 to 2.24) were associated with enhanced difficulty accessing condoms. CONCLUSIONS: One-fifth of SWs faced challenges accessing condoms, suggesting the need to scale-up SW-tailored HIV/STI prevention. Despite the purported goal of 'protecting communities', end-demand criminalisation did not mitigate barriers to condom access, while sexual/gender minorities and those facing workplace violence, harassment or those who worked outdoors experienced poorest condom accessibility. Decriminalisation of sex work is needed to support SWs' labour rights, including access to HIV/STI prevention supplies.

What do we know about best police practices for lost persons with dementia? A scoping review.

Aim: To examine the efficacy of strategies used by the police for missing persons with dementia. Methods: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis guidelines, we searched peer-reviewed and gray literature of existing police practices used for missing persons with dementia. Data from the studies were analyzed descriptively. Results: The literature described 16 articles and 18 websites. Strategies ranged from identification tools, successful field techniques, locating technologies and community engagement/education. Overall scientific evidence was low, with only three studies evaluating the usability and effectiveness of the suggested strategies. Conclusion: More rigorous research is required to demonstrate the efficacy of best police practices for missing persons with dementia, which in turn could assist in the development of a best practice guideline.

Metabolic Syndrome Prevalence among Armed Forces Personnel (Military Personnel and Police Officers): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is closely linked to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Various studies have reported the prevalence of MetS in different armed forces personnel in different countries. However, performing a systematic review and meta-analysis on this subject seems necessary. The aim of this study was to estimate the pooled prevalence of MetS among armed forces personnel including members of the military and police forces. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic review was carried out on all associated papers published in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Cochrane Library, encompassing the timeframe: November, 2018 to January 2000. The overall prevalence of MetS, and its prevalence based on different diagnostic criteria [National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATP III), American Heart Association (AHA) and International Diabetes Federation (IDF)] were pooled using a random-effects model. RESULTS: Twenty five eligible studies were selected for the meta-analysis. Among all police officers contained in this study group, the overall prevalence of MetS was 26.2% (95% CI: 19.7-34%; Q = 229.45, p = 0.00). Among different military personnel contained in this study group, the overall estimation of MetS prevalence was 8.3% (95% CI: 6.3-11%; Q = 540.88, p = 0.00) the prevalence of MetS was 8.0% (95% CI: 5.7-11%; Q = 409.76, p = 0.00) according to the NCEP-ATP III criterion. CONCLUSION: The findings from the present meta-analyses displayed a low prevalence of metabolic syndrome in armed forces in general. These findings will allow healthcare providers and policy-makers to find solutions in order to take action to reduce MetS risks on a wider scale, especially among police officers.

Coercive Control: Update and Review.

This article reviews the background, introduction, and critical response to new criminal offenses of coercive control in England/Wales and Scotland. How the new Scottish offense is implemented will determine whether it can overcome the shortcomings of the English law. We then review new evidence on four dimensions of coercive control: the relationship between "control" and "violence," coercive control in same-sex couples, measuring coercive control, and children's experience of coercive control. Coercive control is not a type of violence. Indeed, level of control predicts a range of negative outcomes heretofore associated with physical abuse, including post-separation violence and sexual assault; important differences in coercive control dynamics distinguish male homosexual from lesbian couples; measuring coercive control requires innovative ways of aggregating and categorizing data; and how children experience coercive control is a problem area that offers enormous promise for the years ahead.

A Need for Tailored Programs and Policies to Reduce Rates of Alcohol-related Crimes for Vulnerable Communities and Young People: An Analysis of Routinely Collected Police Data.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Given ongoing community concern about high rates of alcohol-related crimes (ARCs) experienced by disadvantaged populations, a more specific and nuanced understanding of factors associated with ARCs would help inform the development of more sophisticated programs and policies aimed at reducing ARCs. This study estimates rates of ARCs across all communities in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, using routinely collected police data; investigates whether there are differences between communities; and identifies individual and community characteristics that are significantly associated with higher rates of ARCs. SHORT SUMMARY: This study analysed routinely collected police data in New South Wales, Australia, to identify individual and community characteristics associated with alcohol-related crimes. Young people, Aboriginal Australians, socio-economically disadvantaged communities, remote and regional communities and communities with higher per capita rate of on-venue liquor licenses are at risk of alcohol-related crimes. METHODS: Age standardized rates of ARCs were calculated. A multi-level Poisson regression analysis was conducted to investigate the individual and community factors that were statistically significantly associated with higher rates of ARC, separately for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians. RESULTS: Rates of ARCs were statistically significantly higher for Aboriginal Australians, young people (aged 13-37 years) and on weekends. ARCs varied significantly across communities, and were significantly higher in remote or regional communities, in communities with a higher per capita rate of on-venue licences, and for socio-economically disadvantaged communities for non-Aboriginal Australians, but not for Aboriginal females. CONCLUSION: This analysis shows that the impact of national-level and jurisdictional-level legislation and policies is uneven across communities and defined populations, leaving young people, socio-economically disadvantaged communities and Aboriginal Australians at increased risk of ARCs. To more equitably reduce the exposure of all Australians to ARC, mechanisms that effectively engage vulnerable communities and defined populations, need to be developed in consultation with them, implemented and evaluated.

Predictive value of psychological resilience for mental health disturbances: A three-wave prospective study among police officers.

Psychological resilience is considered an important predictor for mental health disturbances among rescue workers. To what extent resilience predicts mental health disturbances among police officers at different stages while adjusting for existing (mental) health disturbances is unclear. Among 566 police officers resilience was operationalized by the Resilience Scale-nl and the Mental Toughness Questionnaire-48 questionnaires (8 scales in total). Mental health disturbances (such as depression symptoms and PTSD) and other health-related variables were assessed at baseline and follow-ups at three and nine months. Hierarchical logistic regression analyses assessed the predictive values of the 8 resilience scales for mental health disturbances at baseline (n = 566), three months (n = 566) and nine months (n = 364), adjusted for demographics, work circumstances, and health-related factors at baseline. Seven of the eight resilience scales at baseline were cross sectional associated with mental health disturbances at baseline. Only four scales were independent predictors for mental health disturbances at three months. When examining mental health disturbances at nine months, only one resilience scale remained a significant predictor. In sum, psychological resilience has a declining protective capacity for mental health disturbances over a medium time-span, specifically when corrected for baseline mental health disturbances.

Rape Aggression Defense: Unique Self-Efficacy Benefits for Survivors of Sexual Trauma.

Self-defense training is consistently linked to psychological benefits for survivors of sexual trauma, yet little is known about how training may uniquely benefit survivors compared with their nonsurvivor peers enrolled in the same course. Path analysis was used to examine how history of sexual trauma impacts pre- and post-training scores on three domains of self-efficacy using a national sample of Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) participants. All participants reported significant increases in self-efficacy domains, and sexual trauma history significantly predicted pre-training interpersonal self-efficacy and post-training self-defense self-efficacy, suggesting that self-defense training confers benefits for survivors above and beyond benefits for other participants.

Construction and Grouping of a Chinese People's Armed Police Forces Provincial-Level Mobile Rescue Hospital System.

In recent years, with the increasingly frequent variety of large-scale disasters that have happened in China, the Chinese People's Armed Police Forces (PAP) has undertaken increasingly frequent and diversified tasks, which has led to greater requirements for the construction of emergency medical rescue equipment. Therefore, as determined by the characteristics of the PAP's tasks and based on the construction of special boxes and frame tent equipment, a new PAP mobile rescue hospital system was successfully developed, and all PAP provincial-level medical rescue teams have been equipped with this system. In the present article, we describe this mobile rescue hospital system, which is mainly composed of professional emergency vehicles, frame-type tents, and advanced medical equipment. The system has the following characteristics: significant integration, a fast response, flexibility, and practicability. The mobile rescue system is generally used as the army's own health service support system and to provide certain emergency medical rescue services to disaster-stricken people. The successful construction and further application of this system have significance in terms of accelerating the response of rescue teams and the emergency treatment ability of the PAP's provincial-level emergency medical rescue teams. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018;12:455-459).

School Discipline, Hospitalization, and Police Contact Overlap Among Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The objective was to examine the frequency, correlates, and overlap of school disciplinary actions, psychiatric hospitalizations, and police contact among children and adolescents with autism. Survey results from 2525 caregivers of individuals with autism in elementary through high school were examined. Logistic regression was used to examine predictors of each outcome. Youth with autism most frequently experienced school disciplinary action (15.0%), followed by police contact (7.9%) and hospitalization (7.8%). Experiencing any one of the three events increased risk of experiencing either of the other events. Strong associations between traumatic experiences such as police contact and hospitalizations (OR 9.2), need to be explored to determine risk factors for potential intervention. Further research is needed to determine the temporal ordering of these outcomes.

Effectiveness of community-based interventions for reducing alcohol-related harm in two metropolitan and two regional sites in Victoria, Australia.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: The relationship between alcohol intoxication and harm is well known, and many community-based interventions have been introduced in an attempt to reduce the rates of alcohol-related harm. The current paper uses two metropolitan and two regional Australian cities as sites to investigate the impact of community-based interventions on the reduction of alcohol-related harms. DESIGN AND METHODS: Data for injury-related emergency department (ED) presentations and police attended assaults during high-alcohol hours (i.e. 20:00-06:00 h, Friday and Saturday nights) were obtained for each site from 2000 to 2015 for ED presentations and from 2000 to 2016 for police assaults. Autoregressive integrated moving average time series analyses were conducted to determine the impact of the community-based interventions introduced at each site for reducing these rates of ED injury presentations and police attended assaults. RESULTS: None of the community-level interventions that were introduced across the four sites resulted in a reduction in ED presentation rates or assault rates. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The majority of interventions introduced across the four sites were proposed and implemented by local liquor accords. Given none of the interventions demonstrated a reduction in ED injury presentation rates or police attended assault rates, it is argued that local liquor accords may not be best placed to propose alcohol-related harm reduction measures, and instead, there should be a focus on the implementation of evidence-based regulatory strategies, such as restricted trading hours. [Curtis A, Coomber K, Droste N, Hyder S, Palmer D, Miller PG. Effectiveness of community-based interventions for reducing alcohol-related harm in two metropolitan and two regional sites in Victoria, Australia. Drug Alcohol Rev 2017;36:359-368].

Experiencing Civil Unrest: Elder Voices on Ferguson.

Ferguson, Missouri became the center of the nation's attention when an unarmed African American teenager was killed by a Caucasian police officer. Civic unrest continued for weeks. The aim of this study was to learn how older adults experienced the social unrest. Ten focus groups were conducted with 73 participants. Eight themes were identified. Issues related to safety were most commonly discussed. Participants reported a breakdown in intergenerational communications and expressed a desire for more exchange. Findings are being discussed with relevant organizations to increase the involvement of older adults in on-going community development efforts and to provide opportunities for intergenerational dialogue.