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DOCUMENTATION
Throughout the delivery of medical care, EMS personnel need to be sensitive to preserving or documenting evidence that may be used in bringing charges against a perpetrator. Successful prosecution of the case depends to a great extent on the quantity and quality of evidence gathered at the crime scene. Well-documented cases are more likely to be pursued by public prosecutors and are more likely to result in appropriate legal actions against the offender. Besides the obvious evidence of medical and police reports, documentation includes descriptions of damage to the house and statements from witnesses who heard or saw the abuse. If law enforcement has been called to the scene, the information in the EMS medical form supports the police documentation. If, however, EMS is called to a scene without police being present -- for example, if the victim is denying or minimizing the injuries as a result of domestic violence -- then the documentation collected by EMS is especially critical in supporting a future charge. The documentation you put in your report may be the most important piece of information when it comes time to support charges of domestic violence. Your report could be used in criminal prosecution, and you could be subpoenaed as a witness. Make sure you document details when responding to a known or suspected domestic violence call. Specifically, document inconsistencies between the victim’s injuries and the history or description of mechanism of injury. Provide descriptive detail of injuries. If, for example, a bruise to the face has the imprint of a hand and fingers, make note of this. Also of note are the conditions of the residence, including broken furniture, holes in walls or doors, disarray, or broken glass. Make note of comments from the suspected perpetrator or the demeanor.
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