Baton rounds are the final step in a graded response to civil disturbance and have recently been adopted for use on the British mainland. Designed to be a less lethal weapon, they are still responsible for serious injuries and deaths. A review of the literature is presented covering the ballistics, demographics, and injuries resulting from the use of baton rounds and offering some specific management guidelines. The recent developments in baton round design and guidelines for use are described and the problems of terminology with plastic bullets are examined.
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