Explaining Variations in Police Response to Domestic Violence: A Case Study in Detroit and New England (From Coping With Family Violence: Research and Policy Perspectives, P 169-182, 1988, Gerald T Hotaling, et al, eds. -- See NCJ-114444)

• NCJ Number: 114454
• Author(s): E Buzawa
• Date Published: 1988
• Length: 14 pages
• Sale Source: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Data from police departments in Detroit and nine New Hampshire communities formed the basis of an analysis of current attitudes of police officers toward domestic violence.

Abstract

Structured interviews with command officials and questionnaires completed by 169 of their subordinates provided the information for the study. The interviews emphasized the attitudes toward the police role, the knowledge of the recent New Hampshire law on domestic violence, and actions taken to adopt policies and conduct training regarding the new law. The questionnaires contained 23 substantive questions related to the police role in handling domestic violence. Findings showed that police attitudes toward their role in domestic violence is not as negative as most existing research has reported. The Detroit officers as a group were quite willing to intervene in domestic disputes, and those in New Hampshire appeared to be more likely to make arrests than the literature had previously assumed. Police departments vary considerably in their attitudes, with smaller departments showing more uniformity in attitudes. Finally, all four models generally used to examine police attitudes and behavior are applicable to the study of police reactions to domestic violence. 39 references.