Narratives of Black Men Accessing MH services through CJS
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A Qualitative Study Exploring the Narratives of Black Men Accessing Mental Health Services through Criminal Justice Systems
IRAS ID
335796
Contact name
Shaquilla Linton
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Research & Innovation Services
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 6 months, 26 days
Research summary
Black men have been negatively viewed by society for a long time. Black men are more likely to have contact with the police as a teenager and are more likely to be sectioned under the Mental Health Act compared to their white peers. Additionally, many black men who are accessing Mental Health Services (MHS) are doing so through Criminal Justice Systems (CJS), which usually involve the police. Incidents like this, tend to be based on negative stereotypical and judgemental views towards black men. Unfortunately, black men are rarely given the opportunity to share what their experiences are like when they are under these systems. This study aims to explore black men’s experiences of accessing MHS through CJS to understand how black men have been treated by criminal justice and healthcare services and whether improvements in service provision is necessary. To carry out the study, 10-12 black men will be interviewed and asked to share their views on how they experienced life in the CJS and then transitioning to MHS. The goal is to capture as many experiences as possible and the responses from the interviews will be analysed using a narrative inquiry approach. This study will be completed by a Trainee Clinical Psychologist on the Clinical Psychology Doctorate Course at the University of East Anglia (UEA). Once the project is completed, the outcomes will be written up and published, so that the findings are available to the public. The hope after publication is for the outcomes to contribute to the production of MHS development and training across local NHS trusts to support black men whose treatment pathway is directly from the CJS.
REC name
Wales REC 4
REC reference
24/WA/0064
Date of REC Opinion
12 Apr 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion