NCJ Number
175850
Journal
Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 14 Issue: 1 Dated: January 1999 Pages: 79-90
Date Published
1999
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This article reports some of the findings of a 25-year retrospective study of repeat victimization of victims of violence.
Abstract
The study was about 9,301 victims of assault who attended the emergency unit of a hospital for treatment of their injuries. Of those victims, 11.3 percent were repeat victims of violence. The period from 1971 to 1995 saw an increase in both one-time and repeat victims of violence. Of the repeatedly victimized patients, 75.2 percent were in the 15- to 34-year-old age group. Eighty-two percent of repeat victims were male. Recidivist victims of assault were classified as light (two times), moderate (three to four times), and heavy (five or more times). The probability of becoming a victim of accidents (i.e., other than violence) showed a sharp increase from the light to moderate, and from the moderate to heavy categories of recidivist victims of violence. Further research is needed to study whether recidivist victims of assault may be more inclined to risk-taking behavior than the one-time victim of assault. The study had at least two limitations. First, the results were based on just one hospital database. People who moved out of the area would, therefore, be missed, and the rate of recidivism would be underestimated. Second, the findings excluded both patients who received medical care elsewhere and assault victims who did not seek any medical care. Tables, figure, references