Police Response to Domestic Violence - An Exploratory Study

• NCJ Number: 93906
• Journal: Police Studies Volume: 7 Issue: 1 Dated: (Spring 1984) Pages: 23-30
• Author(s): D J Bell
• Date Published: 1984
• Length: 8 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This research has been an exploratory study of police dispositions of domestic dispute and violence incidents in the State of Ohio.

Abstract

First, the data clearly indicated that the prevailing family problem has been domestic violence against wives. Second, although the victims were predominantly wives (71 percent) and they were injured or killed in 38 percent of the domestic disputes, the police arrested offenders in only 14 percent of these incidents. The police have not made as many arrests as were justifiable or filed reports in disputes where arrests were not made. The data indicated that the police have failed to arrest offenders in domestic dispute and violence incidents when they were legally justified to do so. Third, the relationship between no complaint initiated and no action taken indicated that many police jurisdictions have discouraged their officers from arresting domestic violence offenders unless the victims initiated the complaints. Fourth, the lack of domestic dispute reporting has been precipitated by the fact that the police have only made minimal efforts to secure appropriate dispositions in cases where arrests were not made. Fifth, in cases where criminal complaints were initiated under the Domestic Violence Program or other Ohio Revised Code violations, the tendency to refer offenders to other agencies was significantly higher than when no complaints were initiated. The conclusion is unavoidable: when criminal complaints are initiated, the police evade arresting domestic violence offenders by referrals to other agencies. Thus, the police perceive offender referrals as an arrest avoidance mechanism rather than a service to aid in resolving the disputants' problems. Finally, referrals (15 percent) to 'other agencies' have been unreliable dispositions. Producing judgments, recommending counseling, civil remedies, or the clergy without ascertaining the nature and magnitude of the disputants' problem has been inappropriate. (Publisher abstract)