Does Arrest Really Deter Wife Battery? An Effort to Replicate the Findings of the Minneapolis Spouse Abuse Experiment

• NCJ Number: 98032
• Journal: American Sociological Review Volume: 50 Issue: 2 Dated: (April 1985) Pages: 253-262
• Author(s): R A Berk; P J Newton
• Date Published: 1985
• Length: 10 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

In this paper we try to replicate the findings from the Minneapolis Spouse Abuse Experiment (Sherman and Berk, 1984).

Abstract

Using longitudinal data from the criminal justice system on 783 wife-battery incidents, an ex post facto design coupled with a propensity-score analysis reveals that arrests substantially reduce the number of new incidents of wife battery. In addition, the reductions are greatest for batterers whom the police would ordinarily be especially inclined to arrest. Policy and theoretical implications are discussed. (Author abstract)