Efficacy of a Police-Advocacy Intervention for Victims of Domestic Violence: 12 Month Follow-Up Data

• NCJ Number: 230251
• Journal: Violence Against Women Volume: 16 Issue: 4 Dated: April 2010 Pages: 410-425
• Author(s): Carla Smith Stover; Miriam Berkman; Rani Desai; Steven Marans
• Date Published: April 2010
• Length: 16 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a police-advocacy outreach program for domestic violence victims, examining the impact of such programs on recidivism and victim engagement in services.

Abstract

The Domestic Violence Home Visit Intervention (DVHVI) provides advocate/police officer team home visits following a domestic dispute. Women (52 DVHVI and 55 controls) were interviewed at 1, 6, and 12 months following a police reported domestic incident to assess repeat violence, service utilization, and symptoms. Women who received the DVHVI were more satisfied with the police and likely to call them to report a nonphysical domestic dispute in the 12 months following the initial incident than women in the comparison group. DVHVI participants were significantly more likely to use court-based services and seek mental health treatment for their children. Tables and references (Published Abstract)