...Depression Symptoms in Police For years mental illness has always been a negative stigma. People would rather do nothing about their illness then ask for help. Luckily in the past 15 years the stigma is beginning to be removed and our country is beginning to help our troops returning from war with PTSD. Unfortunately often times we forget that police work can at times be very mentally trying. With long hours and dangerous situations we have to find a way to care for the ones protecting us at home. The follow study was done to help find predictors of depression symptoms in police service. By finding the outline problems maybe we can find solutions to avoiding the problems. Police work is often regarded as one of the most stressful jobs in our society. The purpose of this research study was to examine predictors of depression symptoms in police service. The study was done using a prospective longitudinal design. The hypothesis of the study was “that greater exposure to childhood trauma, higher neuroticism and lower appraisals of self-worth assessed during academy training, and higher levels of critical incident exposure, negative life events and routine work environment stress during the first year of police service would predict greater levels of depression symptoms after the first year of police service” (Wang, 2010). Participants of this study comprised on 119 healthy police recruits who were recruited during police academy training from four urban police...
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..."More than 400 police officers have participated in the study to date, with the researchers aiming for 500. The clinical examination involves questionnaires on lifestyle and psychological factors such as depression and PTSD, in addition to measures of bone density and body composition, ultrasounds of brachial and carotid arteries, salivary cortisol samples and blood samples. The officers also wear a small electronic device to measure the quantity and quality of sleep throughout a typical police shift cycle. Results from Violanti's pilot studies have shown, among other findings, that officers over age 40 had a higher 10-year risk of a coronary event compared to average national standards; 72 percent of female officers and 43 percent of male officers, had higher-than-recommended cholesterol levels; and police officers as a group had higher-than-average pulse rates and diastolic blood pressure. The investigation's two most recent studies report on the effect of shift work on stress and suicide risk in police officers, and on male/female differences in stress and possible signs of cardiovascular disease. Results of the shift work pilot study, involving 115 randomly selected officers, showed that suicidal thoughts were higher in women working the day shift, and in men working the afternoon/night shifts. The findings appear online in the October issue of the American Journal of Industrial Medicine. Data showed that 23 percent of male and 25 percent of female officers reported more...
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...I think that all police officers need to have a Crisis Intervention Team. I know in my town, polices officers do not know how to talk to people they take a few things the person is saying and baker act them, when they do not need to be. Talking with, a person can most of the time calm the situation, they just want to be heard. If a police officer can diffuse the situation. Chapter fifteen discusses telephone and online counseling. Crisis hotlines are set up for many different situations, such as suicide, AIDS hotline, runaways, and even pet loss. Lines are also set up during a disaster as well. The convenience of hotlines is predominant, easy for communication when you cannot talk to anyone else, or your finances will not allow you to see someone. Cyber counseling is something that is becoming available with different programs that are being looked at for panic attacks, phobias, anxiety, depression, OCD, addictions, PTSD, sexual dysfunction, eating disorders, obesity, and schizophrenic (PG.118). Websites are as well as offered that you can email a counselor or volunteer with any crisis you are...
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...The Unseen Wound Salvador Siegel COMM/112 May 17, 2012 Rick De La Pena The Unseen Wound Many soldiers returning home from war have many obstacles to overcome both physical and mental. Most soldiers are not aware of a certain condition that they might have developed while deployed in a war zone. This condition is called Traumatic Brain Injury, also known as TBI. It is an injury that is not found on the outside of the body but rather internal, therefore it is called the Unseen Wound. Even though it’s unseen, TBI is real and affects a large percentage of veterans returning from war and test results show that an average of 46 percent of soldiers have TBI. Traumatic brain injury, the signature wound of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, is doubly cruel: it leaves many victims emotionally shattered and cognitively crippled. But because mild and moderate brain injuries do not show up on CT or other imaging devices, doctors and even family members are often skeptical that any real damage exists. TBI is real and affects a large percentage of veterans returning from war. “Consistent with the designation of TBI as one of the signature injuries of the war theaters in Iraq and Afghanistan, 46% of the returning veterans recruited for this project screened positive for a deployment-related TBI” (Morissette, Woodward, & Kimbrel, Meyer, Kruse, 2011, p. 346). I have deployed multiple times to Iraq and Afghanistan and have sustained injuries in result of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED’s)...
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...In China, owning guns is banned. School attacks happen there, but they are much less deadly. In some cases, upwards of 20 people have been stabbed without a single casualty. It needs to be harder for kids to get guns so that they can’t do as much harm. Usually, guns come from a parent who has not taken the proper safety measures and locked up their guns. If owning a gun safe becomes a law for gun owners, it would be harder for potential shooters to get guns and less people would die. Even with rules like this in place, shooters could still gain access to guns. That is why it is important for all schools to have at least 1 armed police officer. An armed police officer is important because the best way to stop a gun is with another...
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...law enforcement agents killed while working rose almost a quarter this past year compared to years prior, especially ambush-style killings. Police officers across the country face potential dangers on their job, and they are a target simply because they are in uniform. As well, every 17 hours an officer commits suicide (Berman, 2014). This paper explores the correlation of the stress experienced by law enforcement associated with general strain theory (GST). GST is an explanation for suicide ideation for law enforcement officers. Other articles observe that police officers may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after a critical incident or a traumatic experience. PTSD awareness is critical for saving lives. Why is there an increase in law enforcement deaths and suicides, and what needs to occur to change this trend? Keywords: post-traumatic stress disorder, general strain theory Introduction There were 50 officers murdered by shootings in 2014, a huge leap from the 32 such deaths a year prior (Berman, 2014). One officer killed is one officer too many, and this trend needs to be reversed. How does society stop this? Altogether, 126 law enforcement officers died in 2014, an increase of almost a quarter from the 102 officers who were killed in 2013 (Berman, 2014). What is causing this increase in law enforcement officers to die? The most concerning about the measurement is that countless deaths are from ambush assaults, more than some other sort of shooting...
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...the name for the acquired mental condition that follows a psychologically distressing event. The root cause of this disorder is a traumatic event which embeds itself firmly in the mind that the person may be bounded by the pain and agony of the event, experiencing it again and again as the mind stays connected with the past rather than the present, which makes it difficult to think of the future. PTSD has different effects that manifest itself in different ways in individuals such as veterans, post-partum women, and 9/11 victims. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that develops after a traumatic event. PTSD has also been called shell shock or battle fatigue. The exact cause of PTSD is unknown; however, it is triggered by exposure to some sort of traumatic event(s). Situations in which a person feels intense fear, helplessness, or horror are considered traumatic. PTSD has been reported in people who experienced, war, rape, sexual abuse, car accident, pregnancy, and much more. Not everyone who experiences a traumatic event will develop PTSD. People with PTSD experience symptoms of anxiety. Re-experiencing symptoms, avoidance symptoms, and hyper-arousal symptoms are three types of symptoms that are observed. Re-experiencing symptoms may cause problems in a person’s everyday routine. They can start from the person’s own thoughts and feelings. Words, objects, or situations that are reminders of the event can also be a factor. Things that remind a person...
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...Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has a large Chain of command. At the head is the EOC Commander, who receives information from the other parts of the chain, and is responsible for relaying that information to other agencies, and also the Homeland Security agency (formerly Federal Emergency Management Agency). The Safety Officer is in charge of making sure safety policies are followed, and also for relaying what safety equipment might be needed. This person also keeps track and investigates injuries reported as a result of rescue operations. The Liaison Officer answers questions and provides briefings for the other agencies during this emergency. This person is the main point of contact for other agencies. This role takes the pressure off of the agency commander, diverting attention and questions to the liaison officer. The Public Information Officer gathers together the proper health information needed and ensures that the public is informed of pertinent health information specific to the emergency. This person also ensures that everyone has the same information and is aware of which information is to be disseminated to the public. The Legal Officer will ensure that the legal aspects of emergency operations are followed. This will include following and enforcing the contractual obligations of several different agencies involved in this emergency event. The EOC coordinator will coordinate all of the command staff, and ensure that each one is performing adequately, and...
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...Mindfulness meditation is one type of technique which helps individuals control their emotions when they feel depressed, anxious or stressed. According to an article in Psychology today (Bergland, 2013) “Mindfulness meditation strengthens a person’s cognitive ability to regulate emotions” (para 2). I believe individuals who use mindfulness meditation techniques will receive the motivation they need to cope with stress, anxiety, and depression. According to further academic research article posted by the Daily mail (Fernandez, 2015) “An Oxford University study found that following mindfulness procedures focusing on breathing and suspending judgment and criticism was effective at treating depression” (para 7). Both of the sources provided evidence that mindfulness meditation techniques help individuals cope and overcome many different types of mental illnesses. Although mindfulness meditation has become a popular choice for those seeking to cope with their stress and anxiety, they’re many different alternatives, which include; driving, playing sports, writing, painting, and listening to music. When humans get involved with meditation, spiritual beliefs, or other activities their chances of overcoming stress and anxiety...
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...Critical Issues in Policing Edward Ramos CJA/214 Week 5 June 9, 2013 Kathryn Hamel There is a great deal of critical issues concerning policing. There are more than 15,000 police agencies in the United States and all face similar problems carrying out their duties. The amount of danger the officers are in is astounding. With such a wide range of dangers, it is difficult to prepare for every hazard. With new technologies emerging all the time, the agencies have continued to evolve in order to serve the communities more efficiently and safer. Using less than lethal weapons have become a mainstay in police procedure. The Department of Homeland Security was developed to assist the Federal, State and Local law enforcement agencies with information sharing. In addition, police corruption is another relevant critical issue in society today. Every time an officer puts on the uniform and walks out the door, he puts himself in imminent danger. When a person becomes a police officer, they know the nature of the job is dangerous. Having the job of protecting and serving the community is a hazard in itself. Officers are exposed to many physical dangers while in the line of duty. Firearms related deaths and injuries are often the most reported danger of policing, however they face exposure to extreme temperatures, as well as biohazard materials and contagious diseases. The safety equipment they wear and carry can weigh up to twenty pounds and puts a tremendous amount of stress...
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...The real horror of torture is what remains in the mind. This treatment messes up people mentally, the pain is not over even once the physical pain has subdued. "The threat or anticipation of pain may be worse than the pain itself," said Metin Basoglu, a psychiatrist at King's College London. Studies have shown that, many torture victims suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), severe anxiety, insomnia, and depression (unknown, irct.org). Many victims often feel humiliated and they feel as though they have betrayed themselves and their families. All of these things tend to happen because the victim feels a sense of helplessness and out of control. The more torture a person goes through, or the bigger the combination of inhumane treatment they undergo, creates a greater chance of them having a long-term psychological...
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...CLEVELAND STATE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK ------------------------------------------------- POLICY BRIEF VETERAN TREATMENT COURT SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO THE COMMON PLEAS COURT OF CUYAHOGA COUNTY TONY D. MORRIS PREPARED FOR: Honorable John J. Russo Administrative and Presiding Judge Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court July 1, 2014 SWK 300: SOCIAL WELFARE POLICY PROFESSOR MICHAEL A. DOVER SPRING 2014 GOAL STATEMENT The sole purpose of this policy brief is to deliver concrete and measurement evidences that Veteran Treatment Courts (VTC) promotes public safety by diverting veterans with addictions and/or mental illness into a voluntary specialized court as oppose to the traditional criminal justice system. At present the Cleveland Veteran Treatment docket is only available to veterans that reside in the City of Cleveland. By expanded the court to Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, veterans would have access to the resources available, especially at the county level. There are 38 cities and 19 villages in Cuyahoga County. According to the United States Census Bureau and there are 90,753 veterans residing in Cuyahoga County and increasing as service members from Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom & Operation New Dawn (OEF,OIF,OND) begin to return and reintegrate back to civilian life. The VTC has proven to be smart, cost effective ventures that assist veterans on the road to recovery, effectively and successfully reducing recidivism...
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...2012 reported in Times Magazine regarding active duty members of the military, shows a surprising 349 veterans took their own lives; more than the death from combat operations that year. The Veteran Affairs Department estimates that 22 vets die by their own hand every day. For a veteran, the sound of a firework can spark a flashback of war; while shopping at the aisles of the super market, a veteran may suddenly feel the need to seek cover as it reminds him of being ambushed in Iraq or Afghanistan. The reality is that our patriots are leaving one battle and returning home to another. Some veterans feel ostracized, others are homelessness, have become drug addict,, and are unemployed. These problems relate to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a mental problem that involving traumatic incidents in their lives on the battlefield that trigger flashbacks, lashing out, and suicidal thoughts. These emotions are really critical because it makes them question what you are going to do going forward to avoid these issues. All suicides are tragic, but veteran suicides are extremely complex due to the...
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...POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER | | | What the causes and effects of this disorder. The treatments. There are two articles added after I wrote the paper. | | Sue Aman | | | Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) a delays stress reaction to a prior incident. This delayed reaction is often the result of one or more unsolved issues concerning the incident. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is something that I personally worry about because I am currently involved with the EMS (Emergency Medical System). Currently I volunteer through the ambulance core and going to school to get my EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) certification. They have taught us about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Yes anyone can get and go thought Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. But it is found most common in the medical field and the military. As far as the EMS stand point. A stressful, events are sometimes psychologically overwhelming. Some symptoms will include depression, startling reactions, flashbacks, phenomena and dissociative. Episodes even can experience amnesia of the event. Critical incident stress management (CISM), this is a form of treatment that I would be provided by the base. It is developed to address acute stress. It’s a theoretically is used to confront the response to critical incident and defuse it. Critical incident stress management is basically refers to a debriefing for personal that was on the scene of the incident...
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...prison with inmates having a very high rate of mental illness. Incarceration can trigger mental health issues due to various underlying factors. Factors that can cause mental health issues include the following: overcrowding, solitary confinement, trauma associated with a violent experience, isolation, uncertainty about the future and a lack of mental health services. Prison environments can be stressful, which affects and triggers changes in an inmate’s behavior. A disconnect from society, family, friends and a loss of freedom with the unpredictability of the current prison environment can be detrimental to an inmate's mental health. Most of the mental health issues found in inmates include: mania, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety. Mental health services and the US Criminal Justice System are headed toward improving mental health rehabilitation programs and supporting former inmates. Reforms to mental health, in my opinion, should include the following: psychological interventions, integrated care and rehabilitation programs. Inmates should have access to psychological interventions, like a psychologist, to help inmates with mental illness. An integrated system should be in place in each correctional facility to identify mental health issues to support inmates during and after incarceration. Rehabilitation programs based on continued care in correctional facilities are an important factor in improving an inmate’s mental health conditions. Society...
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