Postinjury Engagement With the Police and Access to Care Among Victims of Violent Street Crime: Does Criminal History Matter?

Abstract

This study examines whether victims of violent street crimes who are known to the police as past offenders, when compared with victims with no arrest history, have different outcomes related to receipt of victim and health-related services, while taking into consideration whether or not police responded to the victimization incident. The sample is comprised of 103 men and women between the age of 18 and 40 living in one Mid-Atlantic city who were victims of street violence within the year before study recruitment. Logistic regression was used to assess the impact of police response to the victimization incident on receipt of victim services, and receipt of victim services on engagement with counseling and mental health services. The results show that prior arrests were not associated with receipt of services. However, having police officers respond to the victimization was associated with higher odds of receiving victim services, and in turn, victim services were associated with receiving mental health treatment. Police response appears to set victims on a path to accessing services. Although the number of arrests was not associated with service receipt, a small percentage of victims who did not receive services stated they were reluctant to cooperate with the police, thus limiting their opportunity for victim services. Because most victims who did not access victim services did not know that they existed, policies that promote more knowledge of and initial engagement with victim services could improve access to needed health and mental health services.

A Conceptual Model of Help-Seeking by Black Americans After Violent Injury: Implications for Reducing Inequities in Access to Care

“…The fact that access to victim services is frequently predicated on victim cooperation with police and rely on law enforcement’s determination of cooperation further complicates the relationship between service access and the “deserving” victim (Hipple et al, 2019 ). These front-door barriers to care have been linked to reductions in victim services support and later healthcare (Newmark, 2006 ; Roman et al, 2022 ). But the paths taken by Black individuals after violent injury are not well understood.…”

Mental health outcomes from direct and indirect exposure to firearm violence: A cohort study of nonfatal shooting survivors and family members

“…For instance, in a study of survivors of violent crimes only 16 percent of participants accessed one of four available victim services and only 4 percent of survivors accessed the state victim's compensation fund. Survivors were more likely to receive mental health treatment though when they did receive services from the Victim's Assistance Unit (Roman et al, 2022), indicating a potential avenue to reach nonfatal shooting survivors and family members.…”

“…The Victim's Compensation fund is managed by The Office for Survivors of Crime with the Department of Justice and provides state funds for survivors or beneficiaries to access for needed services (Newmark, 2004). Such units, however, have largely been overlooked by survivors and families of nonfatal shootings and many survivors of violence underutilize such services or are unaware they even exist (Roman et al, 2022). For instance, in a study of survivors of violent crimes only 16 percent of participants accessed one of four available victim services and only 4 percent of survivors accessed the state victim's compensation fund.…”

Addressing Mental Health Needs of Secondary Homicide Survivors through a Social Determinants of Health Framework

“…VAUs and homicide working, and support groups should also expand education surrounding the effects of trauma and how to best connect with counseling services through both the clinical system and local community groups, since the police department may not be the ideal place for survivors to access services. Research on violent crime victims demonstrates survivors are more likely to receive mental health services when they were connected with a VAUs (Roman et al, 2022), indicating the importance of expanding the scope of police departments to focus on violence exposure as an important determinant of health in the aftermath of a homicide.…”