Do criminals go to the hospital when they are shot?

Abstract

Objectives:To determine whether criminals go to the hospital when they are shot. Such information is needed to check on the accuracy of using hospital emergency room data to estimate non-fatal gunshot wounds.Setting:Five jails across the US.Methods:A survey of inmates being booked into jail, administered by in-house health care staff.Results:Over 90% of over 300 criminals who had been wounded sometime before their incarceration reported going to a hospital for treatment after being shot. These results are consistent with previous findings from one jail.Conclusions:Jail inmates who had previously been shot were likely to have been treated in a hospital. This limited finding is consistent with the proposition that hospital/emergency department data may miss only a small percentage of gunshot wounds to criminals.

Measuring violent victimization: Rural, suburban, and urban police notification and emergency room treatment

“…Immediate need for medical treatment is likely to outweigh many of factors that may prevent victims of violence from reporting to the police (Wood, 2010). For instance, when severely injured even offenders report going to the hospital 90% of the time to seek medical treatment (May et al, 2002). It remains unclear, however, what proportion of violent victims seek medical treatment, if the proportion seeking medical treatment is similar to the proportion who report violent victimizations to police, and if the proportion of rural violent victims seeking medical treatment is similar to suburban and urban violent victims seeking ER treatment.…”

Preventive Health Issues for Individuals in Jails and Prisons

“…For example, a survey of inmates entering several jails across the country found that nearly 15% had been previously shot, and nearly 50% of the gunshot wounds involved the head or torso. 4 But it is not only behaviors that place inmates at risk. Environment and socioeconomic status also contribute to the risk.…”

Serious Assault Victim and Incident Characteristics Associated With Police Notification and Treatment in Emergency Rooms in Rural, Suburban, and Urban Areas

“…This immediate need for medical treatment will likely outweigh factors that prevent victims from reporting to the police (Wood, 2010). Even offenders report going to the hospital 90% of the time to seek medical treatment when they are seriously injured (May, Hemenway, & Hall, 2002). Research has not examined whether victim and incident characteristics that affect the decision to report to the police likewise affect ER treatment.…”