NCJ Number
214809
Journal
International Review of Victimology Volume: 12 Issue: 3 Dated: 2005 Pages: 213-234
Date Published
2005
Length
22 pages
Annotation
This research reports on the performance of multiagency groups in their response to domestic violence in two communities in Northern England fictitiously named Pittplace and Steelsite.
Abstract
The findings show that during the research period (December 1998 through June 2001) all of the activities of the multiagency groups were unrelated to an analysis of and services relevant to domestic violence in these areas, whether it involved women victims, children, or abusers. Meetings of multiagency representatives did not focus on service-related issues designed to ensure the safety of domestic violence victims and their children or measures designed to prevent reoffending. The multiagency groups at both sites held regular meetings, either bimonthly or quarterly, with meetings lasting as long as 2 hours and attended by representatives of many agencies. No initiatives discussed at these meetings focused on direct services related to domestic violence, although planning for services was done. Although multiagency networks have been promoted by the central government as the most effective organizational structure for responding to domestic violence, apparently a framework for the work of these networks is lacking. The problems noted in this research are not due to multiagency working in itself, but rather to how the multiagency groups assessed conducted their work and its effects on service delivery in domestic violence cases. The three examples of research conducted at the two sites focus on researcher observations of meetings of the multiagency groups over the study period. The research addressed the content of meeting discussions, the link between meetings and service delivery, and how individual agencies integrated their agency's services with the multiagency network of services. 11 notes and 46 references