Mediation Verses Arrest Approaches to Domestic Assault: Policy Implications for Addressing Domestic Abuse Among Under-Educated and Jobless Offenders

Abstract

Mediation as a response to domestic abuse would seem a promising direction in curbing domestic battering among offenders with a low stake in conformity. This study compares the effects of mediation verses arrest on two general types of domestic abusers; one category with a high school education or above and is presently employed, while the other category comprising individuals with less than a high school education and are currently unemployed. Pooled data from three of the original group of six Minneapolis Domestic Violence Project cities are used in this study. The findings show unemployed Blacks with less than a high school education who were mediated were significantly less likely to have reoffended within six months than unemployed non-Blacks similarly mediated with less than a high school education. Also, unemployed Blacks with less than a high school education not mediated were significantly more likely to re-offend than unemployed non-Blacks with less than a high school education and not mediated. Finally, among those in the sample unemployed with less than a high school education and mediated were significantly less likely to re-offend compared to those not mediated. The findings are consistent with seeing mediation as a viable police strategy in curbing domestic abuse among jobless and undereducated offenders.Keywords Domestic abuse . Domestic violence theory . Responses to domestic violence . Underclass and domestic violence Am J Crim Just (

Rural Australian Women’s Legal Help Seeking for Intimate Partner Violence

“…Fear and lack of understanding court processes remained deterrents to legal help-seeking, suggesting CJS’ processes caused some to feel disempowered, which is consistent with prior findings noting rural Australian women perceive legal processes intimidating and adversarial (Hall, 2009). Despite desiring formal services, abusers’ “blaming the system” for targeting and victims’ perceiving the system failed to safeguard them also lend support to past research (Belknap, 2007; Guzik, 2008; Yates et al, 2008). These findings demonstrate CJS practices need improvement, particularly in rural areas where anonymity remains unlikely (Wendt & Hornosty, 2010).…”

“…Universal arrest policies not only fail to account for the socially complex reasons why IPV victims seek formal intervention, they also result in other problems (Hoyle & Sanders, 2000). Although introducing specialist DV police may mitigate the severity of legalese for victims, a CJS approach risks offenders taking responsibility for their abusive behavior by shifting blame to "the system," an overly penal State, for targeting them (Guzik, 2008;Yates, Pillai, & Berry, 2008). Although introducing specialist DV police may mitigate the severity of legalese for victims, a CJS approach risks offenders taking responsibility for their abusive behavior by shifting blame to "the system," an overly penal State, for targeting them (Guzik, 2008;Yates, Pillai, & Berry, 2008).…”

“…Mandatory arrest policy has made police officers more “legalistic,” insensitive to IPV victims’ specific needs, which discourages victim reporting due to fear of consequences (Buzawa & Hotaling, 2006; O’Dell, 2008). Although introducing specialist DV police may mitigate the severity of legalese for victims, a CJS approach risks offenders taking responsibility for their abusive behavior by shifting blame to “the system,” an overly penal State, for targeting them (Guzik, 2008; Yates, Pillai, & Berry, 2008). Research found most abusers believed police mistreated them and courts “rather than triggering inward reflections by abusers on the wrongness of their behavior, arrests and prosecutions triggered outward reflections on the wrongness of legal authorities’ actions” (Guzik, 2008, p. 129).…”