The Tendency to Arrest Victims of Domestic Violence: A Preliminary Analysis of Officer Characteristics

The arrest of victims of domestic violence occurs at an unexpectedly high rate and is a problem of growing concern. In this study of 111 police officers, it was predicted that those inclined to arrest the victim would have more negative stereotypes and attitudes toward victims and women in general a...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of interpersonal violence 1995-06, Vol.10 (2), p.147-158
Main Author: SAUNDERS, DANIEL G.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Arrests
Battered Women
Characteristics
Domestic violence
Family Problems
Family Violence
Females
Marital Instability
Police
Police Action
Police officers
Relationship
Sex Role
Sex Stereotypes
Sexism
Social research
Spouse Abuse
USA
Victims
Victims of Crime
Violence
Wisconsin
Citations: Items that this one cites
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The arrest of victims of domestic violence occurs at an unexpectedly high rate and is a problem of growing concern. In this study of 111 police officers, it was predicted that those inclined to arrest the victim would have more negative stereotypes and attitudes toward victims and women in general and would tend to justify the violence. Results showed that officers with an inclination to arrest victims in vignette depictions of domestic violence believed that domestic violence is justified in some situations and that women stay in violent relationships for psychological reasons. They also reported less comfort in talking with victims. General sex-role beliefs were unrelated to their responses. Suggestions are made for officer training and further research.
ISSN:0886-2605
1552-6518
DOI:10.1177/0886260595010002001