Type:	Journal Article
Title:	Domestic Violence: court case conviction and recidivism
Other Titles:	Violence against women
Authors:	Davis, Gabrielle Ventura, Lois A
Keywords:	Statistics;Perpetrators;Criminal justice responses;Prevention
Year:	2005
Publisher:	Sage Publications
Citation:	11 (2), February 2005
Notes:	This article presents the results of a US study on the impact of convictions for domestic violence or related charges on the recidivism of batterers in a Midwestern urban area. Research questions examine the comparability of the characteristics, violent acts and criminal histories of batterers whose cases end in dismissal as opposed to conviction; and the effects of convictions on domestic violence recidivism in the one-year follow-up period. A literature review is provided. Findings show that convictions reduce the likelihood of domestic violence recidivism, and there are statistically significant differences in case dispositions associated with a batterer’s criminal history and certain acts of violence. Other significant findings include: the longer a batterer’s history of domestic violence, then the greater the batterer’s likelihood of domestic violence recidivism; the younger the batterer, the greater the likelihood of domestic violence recidivism; and male batterers had a greater likelihood of domestic violence recidivism than female batterers. Importance of this study is noted with regard to investigating the only external intervention (court disposition) as associated with domestic violence recidivism, rather than an offender’s characteristic. It concludes that conviction seems to have a modest deterrent influence on reducing domestic violence recidivism, and suggests that any deterrent effect of conviction may be negated when the sanctions are suspended sentences or fines.
URI:	https://anrows.intersearch.com.au/anrowsjspui/handle/1/14449
ISSN:	1552-8448
Appears in Collections:	Journal Articles

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