FAMILY VIOLENCE - POLICE HOUSE CALLS IN HELSINKI, FINLAND IN 1977

• NCJ Number: 67509
• Author(s): T PELTONIEMI
• Date Published: 1980
• Length: 16 pages
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: Finland
• Note: PAPER TO BE PRESENTED AT THE 26TH INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE ON THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF ALCOHOLISM, CARDIFF, WALES, 9-14 JUNE 1980

Annotation

RESULTS ARE EXAMINED FROM A STUDY OF A SAMPLE OF POLICE HOUSE CALLS (IN RESPONSE TO REPORTED FAMILY CONFLICTS) IN HELSINKI, FINLAND IN 1977.

Abstract

DATA WERE COLLECTED FROM THE MAIN POLICE UNITS OF HELSINKI. A TOTAL OF 264 HOUSE CALLS WERE RECORDED OVER A 2-WEEK PERIOD. MOST INVOLVED LOWER CLASS FAMILIES, AND EVERY FOURTH CASE INVOLVED FAMILIES ALREADY KNOWN TO THE POLICE THROUGH PRIOR FAMILY DISPUTES. VERBAL AGGRESSION THROUGH UNRESTRAINED SHOUTING AND THREATS COMPOSED MOST OF THE FAMILY DISPUTES OCCASIONING THE POLICE CALL. PHYSICAL VIOLENCE WAS PRESENT IN EVERY FOURTH CASE. ONLY THREE CASES INVOLVED BATTERED CHILDREN. THE POLICE VIEW ALCOHOL ABUSE AS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN MOST OF THE CALLS. IN CASES INVOLVING ASSAULT, ABOUT 90 PERCENT INVOLVED ONE INTOXICATED PARTY AND IN 58 PERCENT OF THE CASES, BOTH PARTIES IN THE CONFLICT WERE DRUNK. IN ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF THE CASES, DISPUTES WERE RESOLVED WHEN POLICE REMOVED THE DISTURBING PARTY FROM THE RESIDENCE OR ARRESTED THE PERSON. RARELY DID THE POLICE TAKE FURTHER STEPS. ONLY IN 13 PERCENT OF THE CASES DID THE POLICE REFER THE PARTIES TO ANOTHER COMMUNITY AGENCY. FURTHER RESEARCH IS REQUIRED TO DETERMINE THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN FAMILY CONFLICT AND SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AND ALCOHOL ABUSE. A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE SHOWS DIFFERING CONCLUSIONS IN THESE AREAS. A TOTAL OF 33 REFERENCES AND TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)