Nearly 16,000 children and adolescents went to the emergency room or hospital due to police encounters between 2005 and 2017, with rates four to seven times higher for Black kids compared to white kids, according to a statewide analysis in California.
Why it matters: While youth are less likely to be injured by policing compared to adults, the analysis published in JAMA Pediatrics shows kids aren’t spared the racial disparities seen in law enforcement of adults.
Be smart: The study authors note hospital administrative data may underestimate injuries just as death certificate data underreport when Black people are killed by law enforcement.
A separate analysis of nearly 30 studies that included nearly 20,000 people concluded police exposure was associated with “multiple health outcomes for Black youth, including adverse mental health, risk behaviors and impaired safety.”
- Police exposure should be considered a critical determinant of health for children and adolescents, the authors write.