A Process Evaluation of San Francisco’s Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion Program

Magaña, Erica Jovanna; Perrone, Dina; Malm, Aili

doi:10.1177/08874034211033328

Cited by 8 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Beckett, 2016; Kane, 2022) and as the practice of diverting people who use drugs (PWUD) and those who engage in sex work from arrest (Herbert et al ., 2018; Perrone et al ., 2022). For example, the LEAD program implemented by the San Francisco Police Department in 2017 – though not a co-response model – was a harm-reduction program designed to reduce arrests and recidivism among PWUD and sex workers (Magaña et al ., 2022).…”

Section: Identifying Eras Of Police Responses To Vulnerable Populationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Police responses to vulnerable populations: tracking the evolution from “zero-policing” to “co-responding”

Kane,

Hyatt,

Teti

2024

PIJPSM

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PurposeThe paper examines the historical shifts in policing strategies towards individuals with SMI and vulnerable populations, highlighting the development of co-response models, introducing the concept of “untethered” co-response.Design/methodology/approachThis paper conducts a review of literature to trace the evolution of police responses to individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) and vulnerable populations. It categorizes four generations of police approaches—zero-policing, over-policing, crisis intervention and co-response—and introduces a fifth generation, the “untethered” co-response model exemplified by Project SCOPE in Philadelphia.FindingsThe review identifies historical patterns of police response to SMI individuals, emphasizing the challenges and consequences associated with over-policing. It outlines the evolution from crisis intervention teams to co-response models and introduces Project SCOPE as an innovative “untethered” co-response approach.Research limitations/implicationsThe research acknowledges the challenges in evaluating the effectiveness of crisis intervention teams and co-response models due to variations in implementation and limited standardized models. It emphasizes the need for more rigorous research, including randomized controlled trials, to substantiate claims about the effectiveness of these models.Practical implicationsThe paper suggests that the “untethered” co-response model, exemplified by Project SCOPE, has the potential to positively impact criminal justice and social service outcomes for vulnerable populations. It encourages ongoing policy and evaluative research to inform evidence-based practice and mitigate collateral harms associated with policing responses.Social implicationsGiven the rising interactions between police and individuals with mental health issues, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the paper highlights the urgency for innovative, non-policing-driven responses to vulnerable persons.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to the literature by proposing a fifth generation of police response to vulnerable persons, the “untethered” co-response model and presenting Project SCOPE as a practical example.

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Section: Identifying Eras Of Police Responses To Vulnerable Populationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Police responses to vulnerable populations: tracking the evolution from “zero-policing” to “co-responding”

Kane,

Hyatt,

Teti

2024

PIJPSM

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“…Evaluations of pre-booking diversion have focused mostly on the experiences of clients, police officers, and other stakeholders involved in the design and operation of programs (Anderson et al, 2022; Joudrey et al, 2021; Magaña et al, 2021; Worden & McLean, 2018). No studies have explored the perspectives of other community members.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Resident Perspectives on a Pre-booking Diversion Program

McClelland,

Shefner,

Johnson

et al. 2024

Contemporary Drug Problems

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Numerous cities are experimenting with pre-booking diversion programs that allow police officers to divert community members to supportive services in instances that would otherwise result in arrest and prosecution. These programs aim to decrease harmful involvement with the criminal justice system while reducing crime and public disorder. Although previous research has explored the experiences of people receiving diversion referrals and of police officers initiating them, none have examined the perspectives of community members who can offer crucial insights into planning, evaluation, and implementation barriers. We administered a survey to 293 people living in four police districts where the Philadelphia Police Department operates a pre-booking diversion program. The survey explored residents’ perspectives on the program as well as their broader views on associated issues like decriminalization of substance use, sex work, and minor theft. Bivariate χ2 tests and multivariate logistic regression examined differences in responses between subgroups. Perspectives were diverse and varied based on demographic attributes of the respondents as well as on district-level attributes, like crime patterns. Most surveyed community members perceived pre-booking diversion to be a valuable tool for improving the experiences and outcomes of policing. However, residents living in areas with more crime and with more public disorder held significantly less positive perspectives. Their skepticism may reflect the possibility that pre-booking diversion and similar reforms are necessary but not sufficient to transforming individual health and public safety in some areas.

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