Web resource:	http://www.courtinnovation.org/_uploads/documents/Case_Processing_Report.pdf
Type:	Electronic publication
Title:	A comparison of two prosecution policies in cases of intimate partner violence : mandatory case filing vs. following the victim's lead
Authors:	O'Sullivan, Chris Rempel, Michael Davis, Robert Farole, Jr., Donald
Keywords:	Criminal justice responses
Year:	2007
Publisher:	National Institute of Justice, New York
Notes:	General overview: This report examines prosecution policies in two boroughs of New York, United States and finds that mandatory prosecution does not reduce recidivism, in comparison with a prosecution policy that drops prosecution when the victim does not support it. Discussion: The report reviews the practical and philosophical arguments surrounding victim choice and the prosecution of domestic violence offences. Previous research into whether mandatory prosecution (regardless of victim support) was effective in reducing recidivism has been inconclusive. The authors hoped that a comparison of the Bronx and Brooklyn policies would prove a stronger test of whether mandatory prosecution policies are effective. In the Bronx, charges are dropped if the victim requests it, while in Brooklyn, prosecution proceeds regardless of the victim's wishes and will only be dropped if insufficient evidence is available. The study examined 200 cases in both Brooklyn and the Bronx and analysed qualitative in-depth interviews with thirty victims. There was no significant difference in the likelihood of re-arrest between the two boroughs. The report outlines the opinions of victims regarding their own situations and regarding the prosecution policies generally. Victims reported that they valued the order of protection made upon charge in Brooklyn and they thought that victims should have longer than the 24 hours allowed in the Bronx to decide if they support prosecution. The study examined the cost-effectiveness of the policies. Brooklyn's policy is significantly more expensive without a significant increase in the conviction rate or reduction in the re-arrest rate. The authors suggest that an intermediate policy might be more effective, with charges filed in the majority of cases and victims given a longer period to decide if they supported prosecution.
URI:	https://anrows.intersearch.com.au/anrowsjspui/handle/1/21290
Physical description:	125 p.
Appears in Collections:	Online resource

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