VICTIM AS OFFENDER IN YOUTH VIOLENCE

Study objective: To determine how often adolescent and young adult Vic tims of assaultive injury are offenders in assaults and other crimes. Design: Comparison of 10- to 24-year-old males treated in the accident and emergency department for assault-related injuries to similar-aged males treated in the same department for unintentional injuries. Poli ce records were searched on both groups for warnings or convictions. S etting: Accident and emergency department of the Cardiff Royal Infirma ry. Results: Assault patients were significantly more likely to be for mally warned or convicted, and they had a higher mean number of warnin gs or convictions per 100 person-years of exposure, than other injury patients. These differences were most pronounced for the younger patie nts and for the year following the injury. Conclusion: These results s uggest that many young male assault patients either have a history of criminal activity or develop criminal behavior subsequent to their ass ault and may benefit from appropriate intervention aimed at interrupti ng the cycle of crime and violence.