Domestic Disturbance and Policing
Francisco Jaime
May 12, 2012
JUS-350
Hanson, Timothy
Domestic Disturbance and Policing Relationships where a partner will try to control the other partner’s actions are known as domestic violence or domestic abuse. The violence exhibited within these types of relationships can include physical assault (hitting, pushing, shoving, etc.), sexual abuse (unwanted or forced sexual activity), and stalking. Other behaviors such as emotional, psychological and financial abuse can be included in this category, although they are not criminal behaviors, they are known as forms of abuse and can lead to criminal violence (Divorce Online. 2009). Partners can be married, boyfriend and girlfriend, heterosexual, gay or lesbian, married, separated or involved in a relationship where they are simply living together. The arrangement makes no difference when it comes to incidents of domestic violence. It can happen at any time or place, frequently or once in a while. Domestic abuse has no barriers either; victims can be of any race, age, sex or culture. National statistics on domestic abuse estimate that between 960,000 incidents of violence against a current or former spouse, boyfriend, or girlfriend to 3 million women who are physically abused by their husband or boyfriend per year (Domestic violence statistics. 2012). These facts have prompted law enforcement agencies in various cities across the United States to initiate mandatory arrests for anyone charged with domestic violence. This meant that anyone who was charged with domestic violence be arrested with or without the consent of the victim. The courts would than proceed with criminal charges against the offender. In cases such as this, the accuser would most likely reoffend leading to a higher number of cases that involved some form of domestic abuse (Goodman, Lisa A. Epstein, Deborah Koss, Mary P. White, Jacquelyn W. Kazdin, Alan E. 2011). This has led many to wonder if mandatory arrests
May 12, 2012
JUS-350
Hanson, Timothy
Domestic Disturbance and Policing Relationships where a partner will try to control the other partner’s actions are known as domestic violence or domestic abuse. The violence exhibited within these types of relationships can include physical assault (hitting, pushing, shoving, etc.), sexual abuse (unwanted or forced sexual activity), and stalking. Other behaviors such as emotional, psychological and financial abuse can be included in this category, although they are not criminal behaviors, they are known as forms of abuse and can lead to criminal violence (Divorce Online. 2009). Partners can be married, boyfriend and girlfriend, heterosexual, gay or lesbian, married, separated or involved in a relationship where they are simply living together. The arrangement makes no difference when it comes to incidents of domestic violence. It can happen at any time or place, frequently or once in a while. Domestic abuse has no barriers either; victims can be of any race, age, sex or culture. National statistics on domestic abuse estimate that between 960,000 incidents of violence against a current or former spouse, boyfriend, or girlfriend to 3 million women who are physically abused by their husband or boyfriend per year (Domestic violence statistics. 2012). These facts have prompted law enforcement agencies in various cities across the United States to initiate mandatory arrests for anyone charged with domestic violence. This meant that anyone who was charged with domestic violence be arrested with or without the consent of the victim. The courts would than proceed with criminal charges against the offender. In cases such as this, the accuser would most likely reoffend leading to a higher number of cases that involved some form of domestic abuse (Goodman, Lisa A. Epstein, Deborah Koss, Mary P. White, Jacquelyn W. Kazdin, Alan E. 2011). This has led many to wonder if mandatory arrests
References: Domestic violence statistics. 2012. As retrieved on 5/13/12 from http://www.dvrc-or.org/domestic/violence/resources/C61/#mal Divorce Online. 2009. As retrieved on 5/13/12 from http://www.domesticviolence.org/definition/ (Goodman, Lisa A. Epstein, Deborah Koss, Mary P. White, Jacquelyn W. Kazdin, Alan E. 2011). As retrieved on 5/13/12 from http://psycnet.apa.org/books/12308/011 Hovmand, P. S., Ford, D. N., Flom, I. and Kyriakakis, S. (2009), Victims arrested for domestic violence: unintended consequences of arrest policies. . As retrieved on 5/13/12 from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/sdr.418/abstract Iyengar, Radha. 2008. Does the certainty of arrest reduce domesticviolence? Evidence from mandatory and recommended arrest laws. As retrieved on 5/13/12 from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0047272708001345