NCJ Number
238666
Date Published
2011
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This report examines the district court case processing and sentencing of domestic violence offenses during the study period of 2004 to 2008.
Abstract
Key findings show that a majority of convictions are for the same category of offense (domestic assault or violation of abuse orders) as the original charge; ninety-nine percent of felony relief from abuse order convictions are for a violation of an order; race is not a statistically significant factor in determining which defendants are sentenced to incarceration for domestic assault; women are more likely to be sentenced to incarceration than men; counties vary in their approach to sentencing domestic assault and violations of abuse orders; county of conviction is statistically significant in determining which defendants are incarcerated for domestic assault. During the study period, there were 6,643 charges of domestic assault filed and disposed of in Vermont District Court. Of those filed and disposed, 27 percent (1,800) were felony charges and 73 percent (4,843) were misdemeanor charges. Eighteen percent of the charges were filed against women and 82 percent against men. The most common additional charges were: disorderly conduct (369), violations of conditions of release (391), and kidnapping (241). Further research is needed to explore the relationship between batterer intervention programs available in the counties and the relationship between accessibility and sentences. Policy makers and stake holders should determine if the differences are acceptable. Charts