MIND + BODY
Bridging the Gap Between
police and
individuals with
mental illness Story by Allison Clowers Design and Illustration by Grace Winter Individuals who experience untreated mental illnesses are 16 times more likely to be seriously injured or killed during an encounter with police officers, according to the Treatment Advocacy Center, a national mental health advocacy nonprofit. Many interactions between police officers and individuals experiencing mental health crises can be misunderstood resulting in life changing events. Johnny Rice, assistant professor of Criminal Justice at Coppin State University in Maryland, says, “We need to do better … law enforcement officers, mental health experts, will all agree that we need to do better as a community and as agencies that care about the well-being of the citizens.” 66
FALL 2020
