Police-Community Partnerships to Address Domestic Violence

• NCJ Number: 213590
• Author(s): Melissa Reuland; Melissa Schaefer Morabito; Camille Preston; Jason Cheney
• Date Published: March 2006
• Length: 81 pages
• Grant Number(s): 98-DV-WX-K018
• Sponsoring Agency: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS)
• Corporate Author: Police Executive Research Forum (PERF)
• Sale Source: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS)
• Publication Format: Document (Online)
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Downloaded March 27, 2006.

Annotation

This report presents findings from an evaluation of the nature, function, and impact of police-community partnerships that address domestic violence.

Abstract

The main finding of the study was that police-community partnerships have made vast improvements in the way agencies handle domestic violence incidents and victims. Taken as a whole, the findings indicate that the partnerships have realized their goal of improving victim safety in the community. Specific findings showed that the main activities of partnerships included victim assistance and outreach, coordinating victim services, and securing counseling for the victim and her children. Survey results indicated that many partnership members were also participants in coalitions, task forces, teams, and planning committees addressing domestic violence. The telephone interviews revealed strong partnerships that persisted after the external government funding had ended. Case study findings identified two main components to an effective response to domestic violence: (1) treat domestic violence incidents like any other crime in terms of investigation and arrest, and (2) focus on victim safety. Main barriers faced by the partnerships included the intractability of domestic violence and the lack of funding for services, particularly shelters. Recommendations suggest that agencies developing police-community partnerships should involve as many stakeholders as possible during the development phase and should demonstrate police leadership and commitment by allocating appropriate staff levels and developing mechanisms to enforce policy. Other recommendations are to educate all officers in the causes, nature, and consequences of domestic violence and use well-trained volunteers whenever possible. Research was conducted in two phases. The first phase involved a review of the relevant research literature and interviews with experts on police-community partnerships and domestic violence. The second phase involved 3 waves of mailed surveys to 272 police agencies with partnerships and 57 other agencies perceived as having promising domestic violence partnerships. Telephone interviews were conducted with 41 agencies and case studies were conducted on 11 sites.