Prevalence and context of firearms-related problems in child protective service investigations.

Autor: Sokol RL; Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA. Electronic address: rlsokol@umich.edu., Victor BG; School of Social Work, Indiana University, 902 West New York Street, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA., Piellusch EK; School of Social Work, University of Michigan, 1080 S University, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA., Nielsen SB; School of Social Work, University of Michigan, 1080 S University, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA., Ryan JP; School of Social Work, University of Michigan, 1080 S University, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA., Perron BE; School of Social Work, University of Michigan, 1080 S University, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Child abuse & neglect [Child Abuse Negl] 2020 Sep; Vol. 107, pp. 104572. Date of Electronic Publication: 2020 Jun 05.
DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104572
Abstrakt: Background: Despite the significance of firearm safety, we need additional data to understand the prevalence and context surrounding firearm-related problems within the child welfare system.
Objective: Estimate proportion of cases reporting a firearm-related problem during case initiation and the contexts in which these problems exist.
Sample and Setting: 75,809 caseworker-written investigation summaries that represented all substantiated referrals of maltreatment in Michigan from 2015 to 2017.
Methods: We developed an expert dictionary of firearm-related terms to search investigation summaries. We retrieved summaries that contained any of the terms to confirm whether a firearm was present (construct accurate) and whether it posed a threat to the child. Finally, we coded summaries that contained firearm-related problems to identify contexts in which problems exist.
Results: Of the 75,809 substantiated cases, the dictionary flagged 2397 cases that used a firearm term (3.2 %), with a construct accuracy rate of 96 %. Among construct accurate cases, 79 % contained a firearm-related problem. The most common intent for a firearm-related problem was violence against a person (45 %). The co-occurrence of domestic violence and/or substance use with a firearm-related problem was high (41 % and 48 %, respectively). 49 % of summaries that contained a firearm-related problem did not provide information regarding storage.
Conclusion: When caseworkers document a firearm within investigative summaries, a firearm-related risk to the child likely exists. Improved documentation of firearms and storage practices among investigated families may better identify families needing firearm-related services.
(Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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