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Law Enforcement Officers' Attitudes About Domestic Violence

NCJ Number
234814
Journal
Violence Against Women Volume: 17 Issue: 5 Dated: May 2011 Pages: 619-636
Author(s)
Angela R. Gover; Dagmar Pudrzynska Paul; Mary Dodge
Date Published
May 2011
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This study examined attitudes about domestic violence among police officers.
Abstract
This exploratory study examines attitudes about domestic violence among officers from a large urban police department. Additionally, this study examines whether attitudes vary according to officer characteristics. A total of 309 police officers responded to a survey that explored their attitudes and perceptions of domestic violence incidents. The results show that officers are well versed in handling domestic violence, though self-reports indicate that police personnel who respond to the calls are concerned about their limited amount of discretion. Additionally, when comparing attitudes based on officer characteristics, more similarities are found than differences. Implications for future research are discussed. (Published Abstract)