NCJ Number
238987
Journal
Crime and Justice Bulletin Issue: 155 Dated: January 2012 Pages: 1-16
Date Published
January 2012
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This study from the New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research examined the effect of the Domestic Violence Intervention Court Model on domestic violence police and court outcomes.
Abstract
Findings from this study on the effect of the Domestic Violence Intervention Court Model (DVICM) on domestic violence police and court outcomes show that the proportion of persons of interest charged increased in one of the three localities studied while the time taken to finalize domestic violence matters decreased in two of the three localities. In addition, the findings show that in all three localities, the DVICM had no effect on the proportion of matters finalized on a plea of guilty, the proportion of matters finalized on a dismissal, the proportion of penalties of bonds with supervision, or the proportion of penalties of imprisonment. This study was conducted by the New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research to determine the ability of the DVICM to improve the criminal justice system's response to domestic violence. The aim of the DVICM is to provide a more proactive police response to domestic violence through the use of improved evidence collection, reduced court delays, the use of specialist personnel, linking victims to advocacy services, and giving sanctions that hold offenders accountable. Logistic and poisson regression models were used to analyze police and court outcomes on domestic violence cases in three localities within 12 weeks of the police event date. Analysis of the police and court outcomes found that the DVICM was successful at improving the criminal justice system's response to domestic violence in some but not all matters relating to domestic violence cases. Study limitations are discussed. Tables, figures, references, and appendix