title: Criminal Behavior and Repeat Violent Trauma: A Case-Control Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Repeat violent injury is common among young urban men and is increasingly a focus of trauma center-based injury prevention efforts. Though understanding risk factors for repeat violent injury may be critical in designing such interventions, this knowledge is limited. This study aims to determine which criminal behaviors, both before and after the initial trauma, predict repeat violent trauma. Gun, violent, and drug crimes are expected to increase risk of subsequent violent injury among victims of violence.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case-control design examined trauma registry and publicly available criminal data for all male patients aged <40 years presenting for violent trauma between April 2006 and December 2011 (N=1,142) to the sole Level 1 trauma center in a city with high rates of violence. Logistic regression was used to determine criminal behaviors predictive of repeat violent injury. Data were obtained and analyzed between January 2013 and June 2014.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Regarding crimes committed before the first injury, only drug crime (OR=5.32) predicted repeat violent trauma. With respect to crimes committed after the initial injury, illegal gun possession (OR=2.70) predicted repeat victimization. Initiating gun (OR=3.53) or drug crime (OR=5.12) was associated with increased risk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prior drug involvement may identify young male victims of violence as at high risk of repeat violent injury. Gun carrying and initiating drug involvement after the initial injury may increase risk of repeat injury and may be important targets for interventions aimed at preventing repeat violent trauma.
authors.affiliation: Southeastern Louisiana Veterans Healthcare System, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana; Department of Psychiatry, Louisiana State University School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana; South Central Veterans Affairs Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana; Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri-Saint Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri. Electronic address: nanneyj@umsl.edu.
authors.forename: John T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Nanney
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Louisiana State University School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana.
authors.forename: Erich J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Conrad
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McCloskey
authors.affiliation: Southeastern Louisiana Veterans Healthcare System, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana; Department of Psychiatry, Louisiana State University School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana; South Central Veterans Affairs Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana; Department of Psychology, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana.
authors.forename: Joseph I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Constans
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003415:Crime / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000066479:Criminal Behavior; D057237:Criminals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult