NCJ Number
152496
Journal
Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 9 Issue: 4 Dated: (December 1994) Pages: 503-517
Date Published
1994
Length
15 pages
Annotation
Civil protection orders offer abused women a legal means of maintaining their residences apart from the abuser and exert some autonomy in their relationships, but the implementation of civil protection order statutes remains largely unclear.
Abstract
To study the court response to petitions for civil protection orders, court records were examined for 200 petitioners randomly selected from 674 civil protection order petitions filed in Berks County, Pennsylvania, during 1990. Court dockets, court petitions, and protection orders were coded for petitioner background, court factors, case disposition, and protective provisions. About 76 percent of the petitioners received a final protection order. In most cases not receiving a protection order, petitioners withdrew or dropped their petitions. Final protection orders limited the batterer's contact in some way and prohibited future acts of abuse. However protection order provisions regarding restricted contact, child custody and visitation, financial support, and property allocation were much less extensive than requested. Relevant background and court factors were not significantly associated with case outcome, except for being in a marriage relationship. While protection orders were liberally granted, they did not appear to ensure separation from the abuser, given the low financial status of many petitioners and provisions on the abuser's visitation with or joint custody of children. It was determined that more extensive and comprehensive provisions in civil protection orders may be needed. 20 references, 3 notes, and 2 tables