NCJ Number
106816
Journal
Violence and Victims Volume: 1 Issue: 3 Dated: (Fall 1986) Pages: 163-175
Date Published
1986
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This study represents an attempt to assess the effectiveness of court-mandated treatment for wife assault.
Abstract
A quasi-experimental design examined postconviction recidivism rates for men convicted of wife assault. Fifty men who completed a 16-week treatment program has a 4-percent recidivism rate for a posttreatment period of up to 3 years. A comparable group who were not treated had a 40-percent recidivism rate in the same period. Hence, the 'success' rate of treatment was 36-percent according to police records (Rosenthal, 1983). Straus Conflict Tactics Scale scores reported both by the treated men and their wives demonstrated significant posttreatment decreases from pretreatment levels. Rates of verbal aggression also dropped significantly from pretreatment levels. Comparison with CTS scores of a group of men who were arrested but not treated for wife assault (Jaffe, Wolfe, Telford, & Austin 1986) revealed significant decreases in the use of Physical Aggression subscale tactics (as reported by their wives) as a result of treatment. 29 references and 3 tables. (Author abstract modified)