Perpetrators of Domestic Violence: An Overview of Counseling the Court-mandated Client (From Tough Customers: Counseling Unwilling Clients, P 113-133, 1991, George A Harris, ed. -- See NCJ-132622)

• NCJ Number: 132630
• Author(s): A L Ganley
• Date Published: 1991
• Length: 21 pages
• Sale Source: American Correctional Association
• Publication Type: Training (Aid/Material)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Counseling of abusive spouses for whom treatment has been mandated by a court has both similarities and differences from counseling individuals whose treatment is not court-mandated.

Abstract

The main goals of programs for batterers are to increase the clients' responsibility for their behavior, to reduce isolation by developing personal support systems, to reduce dependency on and control of the abused person, and to improve communication and problem-solving skills and the ability to express emotions constructively. Counselors who work with court-mandated clients should carefully define their roles and that of the court, explain these roles to the client, obtain the appropriate records, and provide appropriate information to the court. They should also be knowledgeable about racism and classism and their impacts in the criminal justice system, make sure that victim safety is the major concern, and coordinate programs with victim services. Efforts should also focus on increasing the client's motivation to change and evaluating the effectiveness of the intervention. 23 references