Coordinated Community Intervention for Domestic Abusers: Intervention System Involvement and Criminal Recidivism

• NCJ Number: 175131
• Journal: Journal of Family Violence Volume: 13 Issue: 3 Dated: September 1998 Pages: 263-284
• Author(s): C M Murphy; P H Musser; K I Maton
• Date Published: 1998
• Length: 22 pages
• Grant Number(s): 93-DD-CX-0049
• Sponsoring Agency: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined prosecution and post-prosecution elements of a coordinated community intervention approach to male perpetrators of adult domestic violence.

Abstract

A sample of 235 cases was obtained from the files of the Baltimore State's Attorneys' Domestic Violence Unit (Maryland); the cases came from three police districts. Men who were charged with domestic violence-related offenses between January and August 1994 constituted the sample, with follow-up data available through September 1995. All cases were prosecuted by a special domestic violence unit that operated with a pro-prosecution approach. The prosecutors made consistent efforts to bring cases to trial even without victim testimony. Domestic violence counseling was normally ordered as a condition of probation, and, therefore, generally required a verdict of guilty or probation before judgment. Successful prosecution was defined as a verdict of guilty or probation before judgment, which was generally a necessary condition for further involvement in the intervention system. Recidivism was assessed from official criminal justice data during a 12- to 18-month period after cases were initially handled by the domestic violence unit. Findings show that court orders for domestic violence counseling were associated with significantly lower criminal recidivism for battery or violation of a civil order of protection. Lower criminal recidivism was also associated with the cumulative effects of successful prosecution, probation monitoring, receiving a court order to counseling, attending counseling intake, and completion of counseling. Individuals with greater involvement in this intervention system had lower recidivism rates, even though offenders with more extensive abuse histories experienced more intervention. Results provide qualified support for coordinated community intervention for domestic violence perpetrators. 4 tables and 19 references