Topic: training in psychology (Read 2532 times)

dhparker · « **on:** August 28, 2009, 09:53:53 AM »

Do police academies provide classes in criminal or general psychology?

JIM DOHERTY · « **Reply #1 on:** August 28, 2009, 11:42:45 AM »

Donna,

Re your question below:

Quote from: dhparker on August 28, 2009, 09:53:53 AM

Do police academies provide classes in criminal or general psychology?

In a very general way, and it may not even be called that. When I went to FLETC, for example, there were classes in interrogation (and the use of psychology when interrogating), in victimology (and how psychological counseling might be called for), and in dealing with the mentally ill.

At the state-certified academy I attended in California, there were classes regarding how to commit mentally ill people, and what the criteria was (under the CA Welfare & Institutions Code, police can commit mentally ill persons for up to 24 hours if, in the opinion of the officer, they pose a manifestly obvious physical threat to themselves or others), and on interrogation, but not on victimology.

Remember, there are fifty states, plus the federal jurisdiction, plus all the territorial possessions, so very little is universal. And that's just in the United States.

dhparker · « **Reply #2 on:** August 30, 2009, 09:41:22 PM »

Thanks, Jim!

Elena · « **Reply #3 on:** August 30, 2009, 11:09:51 PM »

The three states I'm familiar with definitely do, but as Jim said there is no consistency in what is covered or how. It depends on the perceived need. In the 70's I was invited to talk about PTSD at POST sessions several times during the years of Nam vets in need, later that stopped but special lectures on dealing with suicides started happening.

My parent's next door neighbor in Chicago was a psychologist who worked for the police department and spent a lot of time each year lecturing to Chicago and surrounding areas on whatever psychology topics they wanted as part of their continuing education requirements.

Sadly the topic of victimology in the field is either not covered or very scantily. Sometimes not even basic stuff like not letting an officer scream in the face of a female victim because she's not responding the way s/he wants.

Classes in psychology are required in the colleges I know about for a degree in Criminal Justice.

Elena

Brenda B. · « **Reply #4 on:** September 10, 2009, 12:15:01 PM »

Elena mentioned PTSD which brought something to my mind. Now a-days there are conferences and workshops on CISM - Critical Incident Stress Management. They are mostly attended by mental health professionals, but more and more police and fire personnel are getting the idea and starting to attend. It helps them deal with victims and also recognize problems in law and emergency personnell since they deal with this stress daily. FWIW