NCJ Number
217026
Date Published
2006
Length
28 pages
Annotation
This chapter presents an overview of domestic violence, including theoretical explanations and criminal justice system responses.
Abstract
Domestic abuse is defined as a “pattern of behaviors used by one person to maintain power and control over another person in certain types of relationships,” which can include current and previous relationships, familial and non-familial relationships, and parent-child and intimate relationships. Domestic abuse can consist of physical and non-physical abuse, although this chapter only discusses physical domestic abuse. The “cycle of violence” is explained, which involves three repeating stages of abuse: tension building, battering incident, and the calm/loving phase. Research has estimated that 85 percent of victims are women and that they are significantly more likely to be injured in a domestic assault than men. Offender characteristics are considered next, with a focus on the factors that contribute to battering behavior, such as batterer’s beliefs, violent backgrounds, and poor social skills. A textbox considers the characteristics of female offenders of domestic violence and explanations for their behavior, which include psychopathology and battered woman syndrome. The most prominent theoretical explanations for domestic violence are described. According to learned behavior theories, domestic violence is a learned process in which individuals come to understand domestic violence as a normal part of intimate relationships. According to social disorganization and strain theories, domestic violence is rooted in a variety of social factors, such as poverty, housing instability, and unemployment. Feminist theories focus on the patriarchal structure of society as a causal factor influencing domestic violence against women while biological theories focus on the impact of biology and genetics in violent behavior. Domestic violence treatment approaches are described, which include medical and cognitive behavioral treatments, before the author moves on to a consideration of the criminal justice response to domestic violence. Mandatory and presumptive arrest policies are discussed as well as social and community programming to reduce recidivism. Notes, references