Not so random research question

[m31andy]

Oh help me, oh wonderful friendslist, I'm in a bit of a bind.

If a person were to be badly injured in the commission of a crime (say, for instance, joyriding in a stolen car...), would there be a police presence when the next of kin presents him/herself at the hospital? Obviously the injured party would be arrested if/when (s)he is in a fit state to be so. But in the meantime? How much of the nature of the crime would be related to the next of kin, if the joyrider was over the age of majority? Would this differ if the next of kin is not a blood relation?

Have things changed in the last twenty years? The incident I wish to write about is set in London in the early 1980s.

Thoughts? Facts? Ideas? Flames?

MTIA!

And yes, to those of you who think you know what I'm talking about. It's that fic.

Comments

[m31andy.livejournal.com]

Well, I was working from the "police co-ordinate RTA response", as far as I'm aware? Hmm. Unless I get absolute confirmation that they would, I think I'll go with the hospital calling Y.

As for interesting... Hah, well yes. Thanks. Or do you mean in the Chinese sense? It's all greengerbil's fault, and that's all I'm going to say about the fic for the moment. (I think you can guess who X and Y are, of course?)

Yes, of course, we're looking at the early 80s, so information is definitely handled differently. But unless the NoK has to be officially informed of the fact that the injured party is either in custody or (more likely) on Police bail (if you can be on bail without actually being formally arrested. Or can you be arrested while unconscious? Hmm.) I think I'm going to go with an informal apprisal of the facts. It turns out that the copper at the hospital has slightly more personal reasons for being there, anyway.