Training police officers to distinguish mental illness.
The authors evaluated the impact of short-term intensive instruction by mental health professionals on police officers' attitudes toward the mentally ill and on their ability to distinguish between mental illness and other behavior. Compared with a control group who did not receive the special training the 80 officers showed increased interest in and sympathy for psychiatric problems.
D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D003142:Communication; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011584:Psychology / Q000193:education; D012926:Social Control, Formal