Safe Return: Working Toward Preventing Domestic Violence When Men Return From Prison

• NCJ Number: 233268
• Author(s): Mike Bobbitt; Robin Campbell; Gloria L. Tate
• Date Published: 2006
• Length: 20 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2003-WT-BX-K006
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women
• Sale Source: Vera Institute of Justice
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This report summarizes the content of two roundtable discussions - one in Nashville, TN and one in Portland, OR - attended by domestic violence advocates and administrators and staff in corrections and parole, who focused on how to better address intimate partner violence (IPV) that involves men returning from prison, particularly those returning to predominantly African-American communities.

Abstract

One of the key themes that emerged in both roundtables was the challenge of corrections institutional resistance to addressing IPV among African-Americans after they return to their communities from prison. The participating corrections, parole, and domestic violence victim advocacy professionals recognized that they can all play a role in addressing domestic violence during prisoner reentry; however, doing so has rarely been a priority for their respective agencies. Citing limited resources and scarce research that demonstrates the effectiveness of existing interventions, participants from the criminal justice sector acknowledged that they have focused most of their reentry work on traditional predictors of recidivism, such as unemployment, substance abuse, and finding housing for reentry clients. A second theme common to both roundtables was programmatic and operational concerns that arise from adding domestic violence prevention and intervention to current reentry operations and programs. There was unresolved debate among roundtable participants about whether or not and to what extent community-based batterer intervention programs positively impact men's behavior and attitudes; evaluations of such programming in a correctional setting have yet to be conducted. A third concern of both roundtables focused on ways to involve and integrate intimate partners of returning prisoners in prevention and intervention efforts. A fourth common theme of the roundtables was the value of cultural competence and programming that encompasses considerations of race. A fifth common theme addressed ways to improve collaboration among domestic violence advocates and corrections personnel involved in reentry operations. Data figures and 42 notes