Policy Promise: Community Policing and Domestic Violence Victim Satisfaction

• NCJ Number: 171103
• Journal: Policing Volume: 20 Issue: 3 Dated: (1997) Pages: 519-531
• Author(s): M E Martin
• Date Published: 1997
• Length: 13 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom

Annotation

The relationship between community policing and victim satisfaction regarding police intervention in domestic assault was studied using information from 58 victims in a State with a mandatory arrest policy.

Abstract

The research examined multiple dimensions of satisfaction and the victims' expectations for the police encounter. The research also sought to describe which aspects of the victims' demographic characteristics, the previous history of the victim and offender in relation to domestic assault, police behavior, and victims' expectations contributed to their satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the arrest experience. Data were collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire that was mailed to victims about 3 months after the arrest incident. The systematic random sample came from statewide lists of all family violence victims during a 1-month period. The response rate of 13 percent was small, but the participants closely represented the characteristics of domestic violence victims in the State, except for the overrepresentation of women and native American Indians. Ninety-three percent of the victims were female, 53 percent were married to the abuser, and 55 percent were 30 years old or older. Fifty-four percent had previously called the police. Victims had complex and realistic expectations about the use of arrest in their circumstances. Most victims evaluated the police actions positively. Characteristics of the victim, offender, offense, or situation were generally not associated with compliance with police policy. Victims supported the arrest policy, although they overwhelmingly thought that the police would not end domestic assault. Findings suggested that satisfaction with police practice results from multiple factors and that police can actively improve community satisfaction in domestic assault cases by fully implementing policy and training directives and by focusing on the quality of the immediate interaction. 43 references