It just may be I’m getting older and a little more cynical, but the Guardian has devoted time to something which seems to me at least, to be a real non-event but the wording of the article seems to suggest it’s much more important than that. Read it for yourself: you may well disagree with me!
Here what’s really seems to have happened —
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has stopped using a piece of out-dated terminology on a form which is filled in by police forces when they refer a death after contact incident — and they removed the term “excited delirium” from the list of various options which could be highlighted as potentially during an investigation in to a death.
Yet despite this minor administrative change to something I was amazed to learn was still a thing in the first place, the Guardian goes on to summarise some of the history and controversy of the term, with reference to George Floyd and alludes to the various British inquests which used the term excited delirium. It takes a considerable while to make an obvious point — the term acute behavioural disturbance (ABD) is still able to be used by forces which make referrals.
Previously, you could tick “acute behavioural disturbance/excited delirium” and now it’s merely the ABD option — in other words, the IOPC has merely modernised its terminology on a form, to reflect what has, in fact, been usage in policing and in coroner’s courts for very many years. The whole business of excited delirium and ABD has been a talking point for the twelve-plus years I’ve been running this website, so much so I put together a page of resources and blog posts all about it.
I’m not sure how much of a deal this really is – that an organisation has removed some out-dated terminology, no-one objects to them doing so and it’s more-or-less without consequence of any kind?
Perhaps I’m missing something.
Winner of the President’s Medal, the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
Winner of the Mind Digital Media Award
All opinions expressed are my own – they do not represent the views of any organisation. (c) Michael Brown, 2024
I try to keep this blog up to date, but inevitably over time, amendments to the law as well as court rulings and other findings from inquests and complaints processes mean it is difficult to ensure all the articles and pages remain current. Please ensure you check all legal issues in particular and take appropriate professional advice where necessary.
Government legislation website – www.legislation.gov.uk
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