NCJ Number
214095
Date Published
2006
Length
41 pages
Annotation
This report presents findings and recommendations from the fourth edition of the New Mexico Intimate Partner Violence Review Team on intimate partner violence for the period from 2001 and 2002.
Abstract
For the years 2001 and 2002, 315 homicides were identified from the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator autopsy records with 31 (23 females and 8 males) involving intimate partner violence (IPV). Overall, 9 years of data (1994 to 2002) indicate that 38 percent of female homicides in New Mexico were IPV-related. Highlighted recommendations include: (1) pass legislation to permit law enforcement to seize firearms at IPV crime scenes; (2) promote policies in the educational system to help students, teachers and administrators respond to problems associated with IPV; (3) improve victim notification services; (4) develop specialized medical and forensic units based on the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Model; (5) enhance community education to link IPV and other major public health concerns; and (6) a statewide review of sentencing patterns for all IPV-related crimes. A total of 30 cases were reviewed by the New Mexico Intimate Partner Violence Review Team. Seventy-seven percent of the victims were females and 23 percent male. Fifty percent of the victims were Hispanic followed by 36 percent Anglo. The average age of the victim was 34 years and the average age of the perpetrator was 37 years. Half of the victims died in their homes and over half (60 percent) of the murders were committed with a firearm. The longest sentence received was three consecutive life terms and the shortest was 1 year. One-third of the cases involved children, who were killed, directly witnessed the death, or was present in the home when the homicide occurred.