Work Package 1 - Ethnography

Led by Dr Mwenza Blell

Participant observation and informal interviews will be carried out in four police custody suites. Observing the workday behaviour (gestures, speech, and actions) of HCPs, desk sergeants, and detention officers, as well as their interactions with detainees, will add essential context to understanding how provision of care, recording/accessing data, and assessment of risk work (or do not work!) in practice. There are many ‘pains and pitfalls’ of carrying out participant observation in such a setting. However, there is an incredible richness that can be gained from such a 'view from the ground', which encompasses the way different professional groups interact with each other (following Rees 2020) as well as detainees.

Work Package 2 - Semi-structured Interviews

Led by Dr Gethin Rees and Dr Stephanie Mulrine

Semi-structured qualitative interviews (approx. 100) will be held with police officers (including desk sergeants), detention officers, HCPs, liaison and diversion workers, and detainees. This will allow us to ascertain the opinions, experiences, and justifications for practices from all actors responsible for providing and receiving healthcare in custody. 

Work Package 3 - Analysis of Risk Assessments

Led by Dr Iain McKinnon

This work package will closely examine the ways confidential healthcare information is collected, stored, and shared in police custody. We will review 1,600 anonymised risk assessments (400 from each site). Doing so will provide a site-specific understanding of the healthcare conditions usually encountered, the risk assessment procedure in practice, and the routine processes enabled. This will be followed by interviews with desk sergeants to discuss their procedures and use of the electronic risk assessment tools.