Utilizing a combined hospital and criminal justice database to identify risk factors for repeat firearm injury or violent-crime arrest among firearm victims

• NCJ Number: 307738
• Journal: Medicine Science and the Law Volume: 63 Issue: 2 Dated: 2023 Pages: 93-104
• Author(s): Alexandra C.W. Reitz; Shila René Hawk; Henry D. Schwimmer; Tarek Hanna; Diane E.S. Payne
• Date Published: 2023
• Length: 11 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2016-WY-BX-K00
• Agencies: BJA-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)

Annotation

In this article, the authors describe their exploration of risk factors associated with repeat violence among survivors of intentional firearm injury, seeking to offer interventions that might disrupt the repetition of violence.

Abstract

The purpose of the research reported in this article was to identify firearm victims with the greatest risk of repeat-firearm exposure and offer interventions that have the potential to disrupt recurrent violence. In their research, the authors explored risk factors associated with repeat violence among survivors of intentional firearm injury in a unique clinical and criminal justice (CJ) dataset. They analyzed a retrospective cohort of persons injured by nonfatal intentional firearm violence from 2013 to 2016 in one metropolitan area; collecting data from a single level-I trauma center, city police records, and state CJ databases from 1948 to 2019. The primary outcome of interest was another firearm injury or violent-crime arrest (defined as a violent or firearm felony offense). Among 4,058 nonfatal intentional firearm victims, 1,202 individuals had a repeat-firearm injury or violent-crime arrest. In a bivariate analysis, history of mental, physical, and/or emotional abuse, mental health diagnosis, or illegal substance use was associated with increased risk of repeat-firearm injury or violent-crime arrest. Prior felony arrest, prior incarceration, prior firearm charge, and suspected gang membership demonstrated the greatest association with significant repeat violence. Thirty percent of those who experienced an intentional firearm injury were found to have a repeat-firearm injury or violent-crime arrest multi-disciplinary interventions that address the complex needs of a CJ-involved population are needed to mitigate significant repeat violence. Publisher Abstract Provided