NCJ Number
94777
Date Published
1984
Length
155 pages
Annotation
The scope of the family violence problem is explored, and recommendations are made for dealing with it on a national scale.
Abstract
Extensive testimony by victims, abusers, and expert witnesses revealed a widespread problem permeating all levels of society. Recommendations were based on the testimony. The legal response to family violence must be guided primarily by the nature of the abusive act, not the relationship between the victim and the abuser. The legal system should treat assaults within the family as seriously as it would treat the same assault if it occurred between strangers. In doing so, the criminal justice system must be creative and flexible in its dispositions. The system must be equally creative and flexible in treating the victims, especially children and the elderly. The most successful innovations in this area are described. The criminal justice system, social service agencies, and the entire community must work together to provide comprehensive services to family members. Cooperation must begin at the Federal level and continue at the State and local levels. Above all, the public must become aware of the nature of the problem and its obligations in combating it. Numerous quotations from testimony appear in the margins. Appendixes include a list of witnesses, footnotes, biographies of task force members, a list of the staff, and notes on methodology.