Gender Differences in Citations and Dual Arrests for Domestic Violence Offenders
Advisor Information
Kerry Beldin
Location
Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library
Presentation Type
Poster
Start Date
7-3-2014 1:00 PM
End Date
7-3-2014 4:00 PM
Abstract
Increased awareness and prevention efforts have brought the issue of Domestic Violence (DV) into the national spotlight. Police are often the first responders to answer a Domestic Violence or Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) call, but very little research has examined typical law enforcement responses in these situations. This study sought to examine data showing differences in police response to these DV incidents. The jurisdiction studied had state statutes and municipal laws that allowed for law enforcement officers’ discretion for arrest based on the specifics of the incident itself (such as imminent threat, an established protection order in place, etc.). A Community Response Team (CRT) established in 1996 began data collection on multiple factors and has worked consistently on increasing the percentage of perpetrators who are placed into custody immediately upon contact with law enforcement. The data for the present study relied on information about all domestic violence incidents to which the local police department responded in a 14 year time span, from 1996 to 2010 in one jurisdiction. This DV incidents dataset was used to investigate the hypothesis that there is a relationship between perpetrator gender and law enforcement responses. Statistically significant differences were found in citation decisions, number of citations given, types of citations given, plea decisions, and dual arrests for male and female domestic violence offenders. These results leave implications for future law enforcement response, policy, and judicial processes when working with domestic violence offenders.
Gender Differences in Citations and Dual Arrests for Domestic Violence Offenders
Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library
Increased awareness and prevention efforts have brought the issue of Domestic Violence (DV) into the national spotlight. Police are often the first responders to answer a Domestic Violence or Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) call, but very little research has examined typical law enforcement responses in these situations. This study sought to examine data showing differences in police response to these DV incidents. The jurisdiction studied had state statutes and municipal laws that allowed for law enforcement officers’ discretion for arrest based on the specifics of the incident itself (such as imminent threat, an established protection order in place, etc.). A Community Response Team (CRT) established in 1996 began data collection on multiple factors and has worked consistently on increasing the percentage of perpetrators who are placed into custody immediately upon contact with law enforcement. The data for the present study relied on information about all domestic violence incidents to which the local police department responded in a 14 year time span, from 1996 to 2010 in one jurisdiction. This DV incidents dataset was used to investigate the hypothesis that there is a relationship between perpetrator gender and law enforcement responses. Statistically significant differences were found in citation decisions, number of citations given, types of citations given, plea decisions, and dual arrests for male and female domestic violence offenders. These results leave implications for future law enforcement response, policy, and judicial processes when working with domestic violence offenders.