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. 2024 Oct;11(5):2699-2710.
doi: 10.1007/s40615-023-01733-z. Epub 2023 Aug 8.

Injuries Due to Law Enforcement Use of Force in the United States, 2006-2015: Trends in Severity and by Race

E M F Strömmer  1 , Wendy Leith  2 , Maurice P Zeegers  2 , Michael D Freeman  2
Affiliations

Injuries Due to Law Enforcement Use of Force in the United States, 2006-2015: Trends in Severity and by Race

E M F Strömmer et al. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2024 Oct.

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to assess incidence and severity of hospital reported injuries related to law enforcement Use of Force (UoF) in the US over time, and by race.

Methods: Data from the National Emergency Department Sample from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project and the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS-AIP) from US Consumer Product Safety Commission were queried to identify UoF injuries. Regression analysis, t-tests, and chi-square tests were used in the analysis.

Results: Between 2006-15, there were 529,259 emergency department admissions for UoF injury in the NEDS, and 870,779 admissions in the NEISS-AIP. In a model adjusting for year, sex, and age, the Injury Severity Score increased by 1.1% annually (p<0.0001). Black people were 6 times as likely to be admitted to the ED as White people or Native Americans/Alaska Natives, and 25 times as likely as Asians/Pacific Islanders. Black patients were 4 times as likely as White patients to be admitted as inpatients. Per arrest rate by race using FBI uniform crime reporting data, Black arrestees were 2.5-3.1 times as likely as any other race to be hospitalized for UoF injury.

Conclusion: The results of the study demonstrate that US law enforcement are injuring civilians more frequently and severely over time, and that Black people are disproportionately affected.

Keywords: Emergency department; Epidemiology; Injury; Law enforcement; Race; Use of force.

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Conflict of interest statement

Authors M.Z. and M.F. provide expert court opinions.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Risk of inpatient admission among ED hospitalizations from law enforcement Use of Force-related injury by race and year interaction, over time. *A/PI – Asian and/or Pacific Islander. ** NA/AN – Native American and/or Alaska Native
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Law enforcement Use of Force-related Emergency Department admissions per 1 million population by race, over time. *A/PI – Asian and/or Pacific Islander. ** NA/AN – Native American and/or Alaska Native
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Incidence of inpatient admissions due to law enforcement Use of Force-related injury per 1 million population by race, over time. *A/PI – Asian and/or Pacific Islander. ** NA/AN – Native American and/or Alaska Native
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Incidence of law enforcement Use of Force-related emergency department admissions per 1,000 arrests by race, over time, using FBI uniform crime reporting data. *A/PI – Asian and/or Pacific Islander. ** NA/AN – Native American and/or Alaska Native
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