NCJ Number
179784
Journal
American Jails Volume: 13 Issue: 4 Dated: September/October 1999 Pages: 23-26
Date Published
October 1999
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article examines the issue of domestic violence and the role of local short-term correctional facilities and reviews the response of one county correctional center to the influx of domestic abuse offenders.
Abstract
Efforts to effectively address the problem of domestic violence have only taken root in the last 30 years. Initially, programs to treat abusers were based in the community, and many of these programs eventually became part of the criminal justice system's efforts to address domestic violence. During the 1970's, at the same time domestic violence intervention programs were being developed in the community, law enforcement agencies began to re-evaluate their approach to the substantial number of service calls involving domestic violence. The role of police officers frequently became that of a mediator, negotiator, or therapist, and arresting the abuser became a very common response to domestic violence. The Domestic Violence Program (DVP) was initiated by the Norfolk County Sheriff's Office and Correctional Center (NCSOCC) in Dedham, Massachusetts, used a research model based on a program evaluation, a recidivism study, and a qualitative process analysis. The DVP is a 9-week program that involves a psychoeducational curriculum on domestic violence. The DVP has had a modest positive effect on recidivism, and issues identified in an evaluation of the program have enabled the NSOCC to improve its methods of educating offenders on and preventing domestic violence. The author believes domestic violence intervention programs for inmates should be an important part of society's response to domestic violence. 20 references