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Police referral of compulsory admissions — a comparison study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Harry Doyle  and
William Delaney
Harry Doyle
Affiliation:
Northwick Park Hospital, Watford Road, Harrow, Middlesex HA2 AJX, England
William Delaney
Affiliation:
Vergemount Psychiatric Hospital, Clonskeagh, Dublin 6, Ireland
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Abstract

Objective: To determine the characteristics of compulsory admissions by the police and to compare them with compulsory admissions by other means. Method: A retrospective review over one year of the case records of 48 consecutive compulsory admissions after referral by the police was compared with 96 other randomly chosen compulsory referrals over the same period. Results: In both groups a majority had a chronic history of mental illness with frequent prior compulsory hospitalisation. Significant differences were found between the two groups with the police group more often younger, single, unemployed, males. They were also significantly more likely to suffer from schizophrenia and to have had their admission precipitated by behaviour of an assaultive nature, or by property offences, and on admission to spend a shorter period in hospital. Conclusions: It is suggested that at-risk case registers and the use of alternative emergency procedures will serve to lessen the need for police intervention with the mentally ill.

Keywords

Compulsory admissionPolice referral
Type
Original Papers
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 11 , Issue 3 , September 1994 , pp. 116 - 119
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1994

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