Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine domestic violence calls for service data in one Florida county for a two-year period from July 2004 through July 2006. Design/methodology/approach – Data for this study include information gathered on domestic violence calls for service during a two-year period (n=3,200). This secondary data were analyzed by logistic regression to determine statistically significant predictor variables. Findings – This study found that severity of crime, presence of children, presence of an injunction, and victim injury increased the likelihood of an arrest. Victim race, location of call, victim alcohol use, and length of relationship did not affect likelihood of arrest. Research limitations/implications – Use of secondary data precluded examination of additional relevant variable information. Practical implications – The research shows clear law violations and seriousness of the acts correlate to an increased likelihood of an arrest. Arrest research should inform police training and policy. Social implications – The research is consistent with other research that shows that law enforcement officers continue to play a significant role in responding to domestic violence crime and suggest that researchers should continue to study arrest practices. In this study, arrest was more likely when factors existed that may have indicated a more serious crime. Originality/value – There is an ongoing need to examine agency-level response to domestic violence. This paper adds to the literature on the law enforcement response to domestic violence. The paper suggests areas for future research.

This study examined the relationships of incarcerated fathers (n = 185) with their children while in a maximum security prison. Despite the attention to parental incarceration and at-risk children, the child welfare and corrections literature has focused mostly on imprisoned mothers and children. Demographic, sentence, child-related, and program participation factors were investigated for their influence on father-child relationships. Multiple regression analyses indicated race and sentence contributed to the father's positive perceptions of contacts with their children. Most important, many, though serving lengthy sentences, valued and perceived a positive father-child relationship. Results are discussed in light of implications for future research and social policy.

This study explores whether states adopting specific domestic violence laws have significantly lower rates of intimate partner and family homicide, as well as a lower average of the two homicide rates. Point biserial correlation and multiple regression were used to analyze homicide rates, as measures of domestic violence, across seven statutory categories of state domestic violence laws for 47 continental states in the United States. With two exceptions, data show that state laws on domestic violence were not related to intimate partner and family homicide rates by state, or the average of the two homicide rates. The exceptions were moderate, but significant inverse correlations were found between family homicide and the average of family homicide and intimate partner homicide rates and states prohibiting firearm possession during a restraining order. However, in three separate regression models, no more than 23% of the variance in homicide rates was explained.

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Purpose -This paper aims to examine Florida law enforcement agency policies to determine whether they contain language from the International Associations of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Model Policy on use of force. Consistency of policy content is instructive. Design/methodology/approach -Data for this study include written policies of Florida law enforcement agencies (n ¼ 160) which were collected through e-mail requests to all agencies in the state (n ¼ 323). Content analysis was used to analyze the policies. Findings -Findings suggest that 74 percent of all agencies include language that refers to a use of force continuum, including 90 percent of sheriffs' offices and 70 percent of police departments.Research limitations/implications -The research suggests that the majority of agencies continue to include a use of force continuum. Only Florida agencies were surveyed, and the response rate was 50 percent. Practical implications -The research suggests that a majority of agencies adhere to the principle that clear use of force policies can reduce liability concerns, and shows that written policies can be effective training tools. Social implications -Use of force remains the chief public concern in law enforcement's discretionary actions. Therefore, agencies must address use of force issues comprehensively. Originality/value -There is no research that examines the content of current use of force policies. This paper adds to the literature on force policy and examines such policies in the nation's fourth largest state. The paper suggests areas for future research and offers a normative model of a force policy.