Policing madness : a case study analysis of the management of mental illness in custody settings in England and Wales

This thesis presents a collection of nine published works in key peer reviewed journals alongside five further papers, a book and a book chapter. The papers explore two interlocking themes the impact of deinstitutionalisation and the decline of the social state. The key argument here, informed by not only secondary research, in the form of a large scale literature review, but also primary research examining the management of mental distress in custody settings, is that these policies have led to an increased role for the police in responding to people with mental health problems experiencing a crisis. Analysis of the combined results arising from the empirical studies carried out with Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and Lancashire Constabulary in the period 2006 to 2011, provides a holistic overview of the key role and perceptions of the Custody Sergeant in the management of those experiencing some form of mental health problem. In addition to the empirical work that has been undertaken, the research examines the socio-legal context of policing and mental illness. The work identifies and evaluates the philosophical, ethical and organisational challenges presented by the increased role for the police in the provision of mental health services. The empirical research comprises a case study (Yin 1984) investigation of the custody setting and the custody sergeant’s role within it. This is then used as a basis for the socio-legal papers which present an analysis of the impact of two major social policies - deinstitutionalisation and the expansion of the use of punitive responses to marginalised individuals