Evaluation of a Police and Social Services Domestic Violence Program: Empirical Evidence Needed to Inform Public Health Policies.

Hovell1, Melbourne F.; Seid, Arlene G.; Liles, Sandy

The Family Violence Response Team (FVRT) responded to police calls for domestic violence and provided services to victims. Police records were followed for (a) 327 FVRT clients with an index police visit in 1998 and (b) 498 nonconcurrent controls with an index visit in 1997. Except for marriage, no demographic characteristics were associated with batterer recidivism, as measured by police calls. The between-group odds ratio (OR) suggested that FVRT clients experienced a 1.7 (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.2 to 2.5) times greater recidivism rate than controls. Although increased reporting cannot be ruled out, results raise concerns about the effects of domestic violence interventions.

DOMESTIC violence; POLICE records & correspondence; CRIMES against women; WOMEN'S rights; RECIDIVISM; CRIME prevention; VICTIMS of domestic violence; HISTORY

Violence Against Women, 2006, Vol 12, Issue 2, p137

1077-8012

Academic Journal

10.1177/1077801205277723