NCJ Number
69420
Date Published
1978
Length
37 pages
Annotation
THIS SURVEY, CONDUCTED IN MARCH 1978, EXAMINES THE EXTENT OF FAMILY VIOLENCE AMONG THE CLIENTS OF THREE MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN BALITMORE CITY: THE DIVISION OF PAROLE AND PROBATION, THE BALTIMORE CITY JAIL, AND THE JUVENILE SERVICES ADMINISTRATION.
Abstract
A SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE WAS DEVISED, WHICH SOUGHT DEMOGRAPHIC DATA, OFFENSE DATA, AND INFORMATION ON RESPONDENTS' ATTITUDES TOWARD CERTAIN SITUATIONS BETWEEN FAMILY MEMBERS. A TOTAL OF 724 SURVEY INTERVIEWS WERE COMPLETED. WHILE THE THREE AGENCIES UNDER STUDY SERVE WIDELY VARYING POPULATIONS AND FUNCTIONS, THEY ARE REMARKABLY SIMILAR IN TERMS OF THE TYPES OF CRIMES COMMITTED BY THEIR CLIENTELE. THE STUDY SHOWS THAT NEARLY ONE-THIRD OF ALL CRIMINAL ACTIVITY REPORTED WAS VIOLENT IN NATURE; 25 PERCENT OF ALL NON-STRANGER-TO-STRANGER VIOLENCE OCCURS AGAINST FAMILY MEMBERS, WITH WIVES AND MOTHERS MOST FREQUENTLY THE VICTIMS OF FAMILY VIOLENCE. MOST RESPONDENTS WERE BLACK MALES. FURTHER STUDY SHOULD BE MADE OF THE INCIDENCE OF FAMILY VIOLENCE AMONG JUVENILE SERVICES ADMINISTRATION CLIENTELE TO DETERMINE MORE ACCURATELY THE LEVEL OF SUCH VIOLENCE. ALSO REQUIRING FURTHER STUDY IS THE CORRELATION BETWEEN EXPERIENCE AND ATTITUDE IN CAUSING VIOLENCE. SUBSEQUENT STUDIES SHOULD BE MORE LIMITED IN SCOPE AND DIRECTED TOWARD THE AGENCY WHICH COULD MOST EFFECTIVELY DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM OF FAMILY VIOLENCE, IN THIS CASE THE JUVENILE SERVICES ADMINISTRATION. EIGHT TABLES DISPLAY SURVEY DATA, AND TWO APPENDIXES, THE SURVEY USED AND SURVEY RESULTS.