Vulnerable Persons
Registries
Program Title:
Vulnerable Persons Registries
Program Blurb:
Vulnerable Person Registries aim to improve police response to vulnerable individuals requiring emergency assistance. The registry gathers information from caregivers on the routines and special needs of vulnerable people. The information specifically includes methods of communication and approach; fascinations or objects of attraction; de-escalation techniques; and medical conditions.
Is the program based on research?
N
No study has independently evaluated the program to date.
Has the program been independently evaluated?
N
No study has independently evaluated the program to date.
Was the program rigorously tested?
N
We did not find any such information.
Has the program evaluation been replicated?
N
No peer-reviewed study on the effectiveness of the program could be located.
Was the program tested in Canada?
N
The program has been adopted by police organizations in Ontario. However, it has never been independently tested in Canada.
Comments/Cautions:
We are unable to confirm whether the vulnerable person registry is indeed effective as it has not been independently and empirically evaluated.
Our expert reviewer had an additional comment: "No rigorous, independent, empirical evaluations have been conducted. Thus, we cannot confirm whether the Vulnerable Person Registry is effective at improving police interactions or the efficacy of criteria used to define a vulnerable person 'at-risk.'"
Assessor: Dr. Hina Kalyal, University of Western Ontario
Hina Kalyal has recently completed her second Ph.D. with a focus on evidence-based policing practices under Prof. Laura Huey’s supervision at UWO. Hina also holds a Ph.D. in Business Administration from the National University of Sciences and Technology, Pakistan. She has served as an Assistant Professor of Management and Organizational Behavior in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and has worked at the Dept of Criminology, George Mason University as a Fulbright Postdoctoral Scholar from 2012-13.
Reviewer: Dr. Jennifer Schulenberg, University of Waterloo
Dr. Jennifer Schulenberg is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Legal Studies at the University of Waterloo. Her research focuses on police discretion, organizational culture, patrol deployment models, vulnerable persons, research methods, and youth crime.
