NIJ Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships: Evaluation of Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies for Domestic Violence, Final Report

• NCJ Number: 187347
• Author(s): Jennifer A. Mastrofski Ph.D.; Debra Derman; Elizabeth Phillips; Gary Woodling
• Date Published: 2001
• Length: 313 pages
• Grant Number(s): 1998-WE-VX-K012
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation

Annotation

This report summarizes the results of a process evaluation of the State College Police Department's project focused on encouraging arrest policies for domestic violence that was funded between 1998 and 2000.

Abstract

Goals of the project were to expand county-wide mandatory arrest policies and programs in Centre County, Pennsylvania; to refine the domestic violence training program; to centralize and coordinate the efforts of police, prosecution, probation, parole, and the judiciary in the responsible handling of domestic violence cases; to establish a computerized tracking system between police, prosecution, and criminal and civil courts; and to strengthen legal advocacy service programs for domestic violence victims. In order to achieve project goals, four specialized positions were created: domestic violence arrest coordinator/officer, safety audit coordinator, service attorney, and intensive domestic violence probation officer. The plan was to provide a baseline of knowledgeable service providers operating with a standard set of policies and procedures who would better understand victim safety issues and improve, standardize, and institutionalize victim services. The evaluation of the project was expected to measure indicators of increased safety and accountability as set forth in project goals. The evaluation conducted pre/post training assessments of all personnel trained during the first year of the evaluation and conducted follow-up surveys of trained personnel to assess the long-term impact of training. The evaluation completed a technical assistance project for key practitioners and the evaluator and worked with practitioners to assess the development of the new positions and their ability to serve domestic violence victims. In addition, the evaluation assessed the completion of a safety audit and completed focus group meetings with domestic violence victims. Report chapters summarize the evaluation findings, with emphasis on the training of law enforcement and non-law enforcement personnel, tracking of both victims and perpetrators, technical assistance, safety audit, case management, and victim services. The report concludes with a brief discussion of the project evaluation and researcher-practitioner partnerships. Appendixes contain supplemental information on and forms used in the project evaluation. References, tables, and figures