NCJ Number
202720
Journal
Family Violence & Sexual Assault Bulletin Volume: 19 Issue: 3 Dated: Fall 2003 Pages: 6-14
Date Published
2003
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This study of a multisite batterers' intervention program (BIP) examined the relationship between participants' attitudes, participation, attendance, absenteeism, and recidivism.
Abstract
The Miami-Dade Family and Victim Services, with four sites throughout the county, provided the research sites for this evaluation. This BIP meets or exceeds Gondolf's (2000b) criteria for a "well-established" program: compliance with State standards for BIP's, collaboration with battered women's services, a gender-based approach founded on prevailing published manuals in the field, operation for 24 years with an average of 110 referrals for male batterers per month, and training and supervision of program staff. The program provides a minimum of 24 weeks of therapeutic groups to court-ordered batterers. The sample for this study consisted of 103 charts of male clients who entered the program from June through August 1995. An instrument assessed demographic variables, criminal and violence histories, and program attendance and absences. Participation, attitude, and progress variables were calculated by averaging the ratings given for each session attended. Recidivism data were obtained from the Criminal Justice Information System for 6 years after program participation. Program completion was defined as meeting the program requirement for completion (i.e., 24 sessions). Results suggest that consistency in attendance was the most important variable related to increasing progress and decreasing rearrest rates. This indicates that although a participant may apparently have a negative attitude or resist participation in the group sessions, he may still assimilate the content of the sessions by merely being present. 5 tables and 36 references