Motivational Interviewing for College Police Officer Dave Closson Eastern Illinois University

The Game Plan ▪ Background of Motivational Interviewing (MI) ▪ Learning & Behavior Change ▪ MI for Campus Police ▪ Skills and Techniques ▪ Summary & Reflection

Objectives ▪ Fundamental principles of motivational interviewing ▪ The skills and techniques of motivational interviewing ▪ The application of motivational interviewing by college police

What is Motivational Interviewing ▪ “A person centered form of guiding to elicit and strengthen motivation for change.” (Miller and Rollnick, 2002) ▪ It is a way of talking to people that builds their internal motivation to change. ▪ It uses questions and statements to think and talk in a positive, forward direction.

A Quick History ▪ Counseling – Directive, client-centered counseling style. Helping clients explore and resolve ambivalence. – Compared to nondirective counseling, it is more focused and goal directed. The resolving of ambivalence is the central goal, and the counselor is pushing towards it. – Outperformed traditional advice giving by 80%

A Quick History ▪ On campus & Sanctioning – Student Affairs Staff ▪ Housing etc. – Sanctioning ▪ Example… BASICS ▪ One on one sessions

Learning & Behavior Change ▪ Combining law enforcement and education – Court System – Student Standards / Judicial Affairs – Police in the field

Learning & Behavior Change ▪ Motivation is all internal ▪ A person convinced against their will…. ▪ Change your perspective; Change your behavior

Learning & Behavior Change ▪ Story Time – Presentations – DUI/Alcohol – Double Lung Transplant

MI for Campus Police ▪ What are Police? – Skilled communicators – Problem Solvers – Lie detectors

MI for Campus Police ▪ The goal for police interactions – 15 minutes or less, 64 percent – Be opportunistic!! – Sometimes providing good information badly …

Taking it to the Next Level ▪ MI Style – Express empathy – Roll with resistance – Develop discrepancy – Support self efficacy

Taking it to the Next Level ▪ MI-OARS – Open ended questions – Affirmations – Reflections – Summaries

Taking it to the Next Level ▪ MI Motivation – Forward focus – Raise interest – Things to scale – Giving advice without telling what to do – Linking talk to action

Summary ▪ Police already have the skills ▪ Small changes ▪ Reflection time

Questions ???? Contact information: Officer Dave Closson

References ▪ Walters, S., & Baer, J. (2006). Talking with college students about alcohol. New York: The Guilford Press. ▪ Walters, S., Clark, M., Gingerich, R., & Meltzer, M. (2007). Motivating offenders to change. Washington DC: U.S, Department of Justice National Institute of Corrections. ▪ Sciacca, K. (2009). Motivational interviewing - glossary and fact sheet.