Seattle University Collaborative Projects - International Academy of ...

prevalence of PTSD in prison inmates of 5-12% in state and federal prisons. Inmates servelonger sentences which allow opportunitties for comprehensive mental health evaluation andtreatment (Patterson & Greifinger, 2007). We will discuss the importance of assessing andtreating PTSD and substance abuse co-morbidities. Much remains unknown about PTSD inforensic settings and research needs to be conducted to answer specific prevalence and outcomequestions relevant to PTSD in correctional settings.Issues Involving Cases in CanadaJulian Gojer, University of Toronto (juliangojer@hotmail.com)PTSD is well recognized in Canadian law. The case of R v Borsch [2007] MJ No 343, isexamined from a criminal perspective in the role that PTSD had in war veterans. R v Lavallee[1990] 1 SCR 852, the “Battered Woman Syndrome”, and exculpation of criminal responsibilityare re-examined and the understanding of the trauma of living with an abusive partner iscompared with other similar situations e.g. prisons, bullying etc. In the civil realm, a growingnumber of cases have awarded trauma victims with settlements, as in Gauthier v Brome Lake(Town) [1998]SCJ No 55. On a national level, the overseas torture of Canadian Maher Arar, atthe hands of national security officials, placed trauma at the forefront of the intersection of lawand medicine. It is not surprising that Canadian Senator Romeo Dallaire, the humanitarian andformer head of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Rwanda, has become an advocate forindividuals suffering from PTSD. The presenter will discuss PTSD and how it has impacted theCanadian medical and legal landscape.126. Practicalities of a Best Practice Use of Force Model whenWorking with People in Psychiatric CrisisWhy the Traditional ‘Alpha Bravo’ Approach to De-Escalation Does Not Workin Police Encounters with People in Psychiatric CrisisStuart Thomas, Monash University (stuart.thomas@monash.edu)Concerns have long been expressed that police may be using excessive force to resolveencounters with people in psychiatric crisis. While a number of reasons have been proposed forthis, these have generally focussed on assessments of increased risk based either on reportsprovided to police en route to the scene or on observable behaviours witnessed by police duringthe encounter itself. As such, issues around perceived dangerousness, aggression and impulsivityhave dominated the popular literature. More recently, however, some scholars and oversightbodies have started to consider the impact of the standard approach and engagement style ofpolice and questioned whether these traditional methods could actually be aggravating the299