Arrests Among High-Risk Youth Following Emergency Department Treatment for an Assault Injury

Am J Prev Med. 2018 Dec;55(6):812-821. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2018.07.003. Epub 2018 Oct 19.

Abstract

Introduction: Violence is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality for youth, with more than 600,000 emergency department visits annually for assault-related injuries. Risk for criminal justice involvement among this population is poorly understood. The objective of this study was to characterize arrests among high-risk, assault-injured, drug-using youth following emergency department treatment.

Methods: Youth (aged 18-24 years) with past 6-month drug use who were seeking emergency department treatment for either an assault or for non-violence reasons were enrolled (December 2009-September 2011) in a 2-year longitudinal study. Arrests in the 24 months following the emergency department visit were analyzed in 2016-2017 using survival analysis of objective Law Enforcement Information Network data. Hazard ratios quantifying the association between risk factors for arrest were estimated using Cox regression.

Results: In the longitudinal cohort, 511 youth seeking emergency department care (assault injury group n=299, comparison group n=212) were aged ≥18 years and were included for analysis. Youth in the assault injury group cohort had a 47% higher risk of arrest than the comparison group (38.1% vs 25.9%, RR=1.47, p<0.05). In unadjusted analyses, male sex, assault injury, binge drinking, drug use disorder, and community violence exposure were all associated with increased risk of arrest during the follow-up period. Cox regression identified that male sex (hazard ratio=2.57), drug use disorder diagnosis (hazard ratio=1.42), assault injury at baseline (hazard ratio=1.63), and community violence exposure (hazard ratio=1.35) increased risk for arrest.

Conclusions: Drug-using assault-injured youth have high rates of arrest. Emergency department and community interventions addressing substance use and violence involvement may aid in decreasing negative violence and criminal justice outcomes among high-risk youth.

Trial registration: This study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT01152970.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Crime / statistics & numerical data*
  • Emergency Service, Hospital*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Law Enforcement*
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Risk Factors
  • Substance-Related Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Violence / statistics & numerical data*
  • Wounds and Injuries / epidemiology*
  • Young Adult

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT01152970