NCJ Number
173338
Journal
Criminal Justice Policy Review Volume: 8 Issue: 2-3 Dated: 1997 Pages: 269-294
Date Published
1997
Length
26 pages
Annotation
This study examined typical police responses to domestic- violence calls compared with research findings on the impact of various police responses to domestic disturbances.
Abstract
Breci (1991) describes three police responses to domestic violence: the traditional response of noninvolvement, a law enforcement response based on the use of arrest for purposes of retribution and general and specific deterrence, and a service response based on crisis intervention. Based on a literature review of the pertinent research, this study considered three issues: whether the reluctance of police officers to arrest in domestic disturbances is amenable to change, the effect of an exclusive reliance on arrest as a means of dealing with domestic disturbances, and whether crisis intervention techniques are relevant to the police response to domestic disturbances. The study concludes that the policies, disciplinary procedures, and training of local departments may affect the willingness of officers to make arrests in domestic violence cases. Further, it argues that exclusive reliance on arrest to deal with domestic disturbances may encourage police officers to do nothing in response to most disturbance calls, since most domestic disturbances are not appropriately (from a legal perspective) resolved by arrest. Finally, since crisis intervention is a response to the needs of survivors of domestic violence, it can offer police officers a variety of options for responding to the particular domestic disturbances they encounter. For crisis intervention strategies to be effective, officers must be trained in the skills and services required to meet victims' needs and prevent violence. A 70-item bibliography