POLICE REFERRALS TO A PSYCHIATRIC-HOSPITAL - INDICATORS FOR REFERRAL AND PSYCHIATRIC OUTCOME

Studies of police psychiatric referrals in the USA and the UK generall y show these patients to be ill and in need of care. There are, howeve r, no published Australian studies and such findings may not be validl y generalised. This prospective study of consecutive police psychiatri c referrals in Adelaide reports psychiatric assessment in 92 cases and observations by police in 69 of these, with no evidence of selection blas. The most common reason for referral was threat of self harm (28% ). Mental illness was deemed to be present in 49% and the most common clinical description was ''situational crisis'' (29%). Schizophrenia w as diagnosed in 18%. Clinicians viewed 19% of referrals as inappropria te. Increased relative odds for mental illness were associated with po lice accounts of psychotic symptoms, and decreased odds with threat of self harm and violence. Increased odds for admission were associated with language difficulties and damage to own property, decreased odds with threat to others, threat of suicide, and threat to self injury. T here were 14 cases where possible charges were not being pursued: of t hese 7 were regarded as ill and 4 were regarded as inappropriate refer rals. The rates of major disorders are lower than in other published w ork. It is proposed that this can be explained by relative ease of ref erral by police to psychiatry and flexible acceptance criteria.