Protective orders in domestic violence cases in a mid‐western county

Abstract

Demographic profiles of offenders and victims, prior criminal histories, severity of prior dispositions, victim/offender relationships, and the nature of current violations and dispositions were examined. The study also examined the relationship between prior criminal charges and current offenses. The results show that there was no relationship between the type of prior charges and the nature of current offense, indicating that the nature of prior offenses does not predict whether a person will commit domestic violence or violate orders of protection. Severity of prior disposition, especially prior prison sentence, did not predict the type of reoffense committed. Some form of court supervision with a jail sentence seemed to be a viable alternative for first-time domestic violent offenders.

Criminal Offending Among Respondents to Protective Orders: Crime Types and Patterns That Predict Victim Risk

“…Similarly, Klein (1996) reported that almost 80% of respondents had prior criminal histories with the offenders on average having been in court for six separate incidents. Kethineni and Falcone (2001) reported that 75.3% of respondents had charges against them, almost two thirds of which were domestic violence charges, and another 18.8% were other violent felony charges. Keilitz et al (1997) reported that 65% of respondents to protective orders had histories involving violent crimes, and nearly one half of the 75% of respondents who had criminal histories in a study by Isaac, Cochran, Brown, and Adams (1994) had histories of violent crimes.…”

A Coordinated Response to Intimate Partner Violence

“…Rather a combination of interventions involving law enforcement, the medical and mental health communities, and various treatment programs is needed (Wallace, 2002). Early treatment intervention and monitoring are critical to rehabilitation and the deterrence of future violent events, along with speedy disposition of cases (Kethineni & Falcone, 2001;Kethineni & Smith, 2002;Pryke & Thomas, 1998). Services to the batterer, the partner, and the children are all needed in domestic violence cases, but rarely is one agency prepared to offer comprehensive services to all family members.…”