Police discretion in encounters with people who use drugs: operationalizing the theory of planned behavior
Abstract Background Policing shapes the health risks of people who use drugs (PWUD), but little is understood about interventions that can align officer practices with PWUD health. This study deploys the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to understand what influences police intentions to make discret...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2021-12-01
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| Series: | Harm Reduction Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-021-00583-4 |
| _version_ | 1819095662861484032 |
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| author | Brandon del Pozo Emily Sightes Jeremiah Goulka Brad Ray Claire A. Wood Saad Siddiqui Leo A. Beletsky |
| author_facet | Brandon del Pozo Emily Sightes Jeremiah Goulka Brad Ray Claire A. Wood Saad Siddiqui Leo A. Beletsky |
| author_sort | Brandon del Pozo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Policing shapes the health risks of people who use drugs (PWUD), but little is understood about interventions that can align officer practices with PWUD health. This study deploys the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to understand what influences police intentions to make discretionary referrals to treatment and harm reduction resources rather than arrest on less serious charges. Methods On-line surveys integrating TPB constructs and adapting an instrument measuring police intentions to make mental health treatment referrals were completed by police employees in Indiana, Massachusetts, and Missouri. They also included items about stigma towards PWUD and attitudes and beliefs about opioid addiction, treatment, and recovery. Findings Across the sites, 259 respondents perceived control over their decision to arrest for misdemeanors (69%) and confiscate items such as syringes (56%). Beliefs about others’ approval of referrals to treatment, its ability to reduce future arrests, and to increase trust in police were associated with stated practices of nonarrest for drug and possession and making referrals (p ≤ .001), and nonarrest for syringe possession (p ≤ .05). Stigma a towards PWUD was negatively associated with stated practices of nonarrest (p ≤ .05). Respondents identified supervisors as having the most influence over use of discretion, seriousness of the offense as the most influential value, and attitude of the suspect as the most important situational factor. The 17 Likert scale items analyzed had a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.81. Conclusion The TPB offers untapped potential to better understand and modify police practices. In designing interventions to improve the health outcomes of police encounters with PWUD, further research should validate instruments that measure the relationship between these variables and discretionary intentions, and that measure role-relevant police stigma towards PWUD. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T23:46:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6a159ac13396496e8e2d70a09398194a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1477-7517 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T23:46:52Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Harm Reduction Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-6a159ac13396496e8e2d70a09398194a2022-12-21T18:46:04ZengBMCHarm Reduction Journal1477-75172021-12-0118111210.1186/s12954-021-00583-4Police discretion in encounters with people who use drugs: operationalizing the theory of planned behaviorBrandon del Pozo0Emily Sightes1Jeremiah Goulka2Brad Ray3Claire A. Wood4Saad Siddiqui5Leo A. Beletsky6The Miriam Hospital/Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown UniversityCenter for Behavioral Health and Justice, School of Social Work, Wayne State UniversityHealth in Justice Action Lab, Northeastern UniversityCenter for Behavioral Health and Justice, School of Social Work, Wayne State UniversityMissouri Institute of Mental Health, University of Missouri St LouisMissouri Institute of Mental Health, University of Missouri St LouisSchool of Law and Bouve College of Health Sciences, Northeastern UniversityAbstract Background Policing shapes the health risks of people who use drugs (PWUD), but little is understood about interventions that can align officer practices with PWUD health. This study deploys the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to understand what influences police intentions to make discretionary referrals to treatment and harm reduction resources rather than arrest on less serious charges. Methods On-line surveys integrating TPB constructs and adapting an instrument measuring police intentions to make mental health treatment referrals were completed by police employees in Indiana, Massachusetts, and Missouri. They also included items about stigma towards PWUD and attitudes and beliefs about opioid addiction, treatment, and recovery. Findings Across the sites, 259 respondents perceived control over their decision to arrest for misdemeanors (69%) and confiscate items such as syringes (56%). Beliefs about others’ approval of referrals to treatment, its ability to reduce future arrests, and to increase trust in police were associated with stated practices of nonarrest for drug and possession and making referrals (p ≤ .001), and nonarrest for syringe possession (p ≤ .05). Stigma a towards PWUD was negatively associated with stated practices of nonarrest (p ≤ .05). Respondents identified supervisors as having the most influence over use of discretion, seriousness of the offense as the most influential value, and attitude of the suspect as the most important situational factor. The 17 Likert scale items analyzed had a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.81. Conclusion The TPB offers untapped potential to better understand and modify police practices. In designing interventions to improve the health outcomes of police encounters with PWUD, further research should validate instruments that measure the relationship between these variables and discretionary intentions, and that measure role-relevant police stigma towards PWUD.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-021-00583-4PoliceLaw enforcementOverdoseStigmaOpioidsHarm reduction |
| spellingShingle | Brandon del Pozo Emily Sightes Jeremiah Goulka Brad Ray Claire A. Wood Saad Siddiqui Leo A. Beletsky Police discretion in encounters with people who use drugs: operationalizing the theory of planned behavior Harm Reduction Journal Police Law enforcement Overdose Stigma Opioids Harm reduction |
| title | Police discretion in encounters with people who use drugs: operationalizing the theory of planned behavior |
| title_full | Police discretion in encounters with people who use drugs: operationalizing the theory of planned behavior |
| title_fullStr | Police discretion in encounters with people who use drugs: operationalizing the theory of planned behavior |
| title_full_unstemmed | Police discretion in encounters with people who use drugs: operationalizing the theory of planned behavior |
| title_short | Police discretion in encounters with people who use drugs: operationalizing the theory of planned behavior |
| title_sort | police discretion in encounters with people who use drugs operationalizing the theory of planned behavior |
| topic | Police Law enforcement Overdose Stigma Opioids Harm reduction |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-021-00583-4 |
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