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Background <p>Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs) are civil legal tools that temporarily restrict firearm access for individuals deemed to pose a risk of harm to themselves or others. Although ERPOs are strictly civil orders, their implementation often overlaps with other legal and behavioral health interventions. This qualitative study examined patterns among individuals subject to law enforcement-filed ERPOs in Washington State who intersect with arrest and involuntary transportation for behavioral health evaluation, and how these intervention pathways relate to ERPO outcomes.</p> Methods <p>Of the 859 ERPOs granted at the temporary level in Washington State between 2016 and 2022, 57.6% (<i>n</i> = 495) involved one of the three intervention pathways: arrest (29.6%, <i>n</i> = 254), involuntary transport for behavioral health evaluation (26.1%, <i>n</i> = 224), or both (2.0%, <i>n</i> = 17) during the precipitating event that led to ERPO filing. We conducted qualitative analysis using the pen portrait method for <i>n</i> = 130 of these 495 cases to examine how risk was framed in court narratives and how those narratives corresponded with intervention pathways and ERPO outcomes.</p> Results <p>Narratives that emphasized self-harm frequently described involuntary transport, while those highlighting threats to others often involved arrest. Other factors, including firearm presence, mental health history, and how intent was described, emerged as recurring narrative elements and corresponded with specific intervention pathways. Judges ordered behavioral health evaluations in 36.3% of granted one-year ERPOs, but no clear patterns emerged between intervention pathways and this outcome.</p> Conclusions <p>Findings suggest that law enforcement narratives were associated with how ERPO cases unfolded and which systems became involved. These findings highlight how variation in the way risk is framed in ERPO petitions, particularly around perceived intent, danger to self versus others, and contextual factors, can influence how systems respond, even under similar behavioral circumstances.</p>

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Criminal legal and behavioral health pathways in law enforcement-petitioned extreme risk protection orders

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年12月17日

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  • Kelsey M. Conrick,
  • Erika Marts,
  • Rachel Ross,
  • Esprene Liddell-Quintyn,
  • Julia P. Schleimer,
  • Ayah Mustafah,
  • Nicole Asa,
  • Ali Rowhani-Rahbar

摘要

Background

Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs) are civil legal tools that temporarily restrict firearm access for individuals deemed to pose a risk of harm to themselves or others. Although ERPOs are strictly civil orders, their implementation often overlaps with other legal and behavioral health interventions. This qualitative study examined patterns among individuals subject to law enforcement-filed ERPOs in Washington State who intersect with arrest and involuntary transportation for behavioral health evaluation, and how these intervention pathways relate to ERPO outcomes.

Methods

Of the 859 ERPOs granted at the temporary level in Washington State between 2016 and 2022, 57.6% (n = 495) involved one of the three intervention pathways: arrest (29.6%, n = 254), involuntary transport for behavioral health evaluation (26.1%, n = 224), or both (2.0%, n = 17) during the precipitating event that led to ERPO filing. We conducted qualitative analysis using the pen portrait method for n = 130 of these 495 cases to examine how risk was framed in court narratives and how those narratives corresponded with intervention pathways and ERPO outcomes.

Results

Narratives that emphasized self-harm frequently described involuntary transport, while those highlighting threats to others often involved arrest. Other factors, including firearm presence, mental health history, and how intent was described, emerged as recurring narrative elements and corresponded with specific intervention pathways. Judges ordered behavioral health evaluations in 36.3% of granted one-year ERPOs, but no clear patterns emerged between intervention pathways and this outcome.

Conclusions

Findings suggest that law enforcement narratives were associated with how ERPO cases unfolded and which systems became involved. These findings highlight how variation in the way risk is framed in ERPO petitions, particularly around perceived intent, danger to self versus others, and contextual factors, can influence how systems respond, even under similar behavioral circumstances.