The effect of police use of force on mental health problems of prisoners

Police officers have the capacity to use legitimate force to attain compliance, and the gravity associated with officers' decisions to use force has generated a number of studies of the influences on these decisions. Very few studies, however, have focused on the consequences that exposure to p...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Policing & society 2017-02, Vol.27 (2), p.229-244
Main Authors: Meade, Benjamin, Steiner, Benjamin, Klahm, Charles F.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Arrests
Compliance
Criminal justice policy
Decisions
Emotional disorders
Gravity
Health problems
inmates
maladjustment
Mental depression
Mental disorders
Mental health
Mental health care
Mental illness
Needs assessment
Police
Police brutality
police use of force
Prions
Prisoners
prisons
Symptoms
Treatment needs
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Summary:Police officers have the capacity to use legitimate force to attain compliance, and the gravity associated with officers' decisions to use force has generated a number of studies of the influences on these decisions. Very few studies, however, have focused on the consequences that exposure to police use of force has on suspects. In this study, we use data collected from a nationally representative sample of prison inmates to examine whether exposure to police use of force during their arrest contributes to mental health problems among these inmates, after controlling for relevant covariates including pre-existing mental illness. Findings indicate inmates who were exposed to police use of force during their arrest experienced a greater number of manic and depressive symptoms than inmates who were not exposed to police use of force. The implications of our findings for correctional policy include a consideration of police use of force in needs assessment and recognition of the potential treatment needs of inmates exposed to police use of force during their arrest.
ISSN:1043-9463
1477-2728
DOI:10.1080/10439463.2015.1049602