Introductory Criminal Analysis: Crime Prevention and Intervention Strategies Domestic Violence

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What is Domestic Violence? Domestic violence, sometimes called battering, relationship abuse, or intimate partner violence, is a pattern of behavior used to establish power and control over another person through fear and intimidation, often including the threat or use of violence. Domestic violence can include physical abuse, emotional abuse, economic abuse, and sexual abuse. Batterers use threats, intimidation, isolation, and other behaviors to maintain power over their victims. Domestic violence impacts everyone, regardless of income, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or religion. Thirty percent of Americans say they know a woman who has been physically abused by her husband or boyfriend in the past year (Lieberman Research, Inc., Tracking Survey conducted for The Advertising Council and the Family Violence Prevention Fund, July-October 1996).

Domestic Violence  Many domestic homicides are preventable.  Officers can make a difference.  Training makes the connection between domestic violence and street violence.  Explores causal relationship between failure to intervene in violence in the home and other crimes

Crime Mapping Strategies: Hot Dots  Victims repeatedly suffer domestic violence calls.  Crime-mapping applications

Interagency Coordination  Police psychologists or counselors assist in decoding and assessing domestic violence clues.  May unravel abusive patterns  Police officers who recognize clues develop insight for making appropriate referrals and arrest decisions.

Battering  Consistent pattern of behavior  Designed to establish dominance, power, and control over another person  Violence cycle tends to escalate over time.  Apologies and emotional abuse are interspersed as part of cycle.

Abusive Personality: Identifying Clues  Strong potential for physical violence  Police officers can decode domestic violence clues: Jealously Controlling behaviors Unrealistic expectations Blames others

Domestic Violence Cycle Acute explosion Honeymoon Tension building

Red Flag Behaviors Drug and alcohol useDepression WeaponsRage Homicidal fantasiesThreats of homicide or suicide Obsessive delusionalAnimal or pet abuse

Danger: Domestic Violence Flashpoints  Police officers, social service workers, and counselors may become targets of aggression.  Abusers may consider homicide and suicide to be solutions to their intolerable situation.  May consider taking others with them

Functions of Threat Assessment Program  Threat assessment To identify, assess, and manage the risk of targeted violence and its potential perpetrators  Targeted violence An identifiable (or potentially identifiable) perpetrator poses (or may poses) a threat of violence to a particular individual or group

. The Key  Identification of subject’s “attack- related” behaviors  Perpetrators consider, plan, and prepare before engaging in violent actions.

Crime Analysis: Stalking Patterns  Stalking A course of conduct directed at a specific person Involves repeated visual or physical proximity, nonconsensual communication, or verbal, written, or implied threats, or a combination thereof Would cause a reasonable person fear Repeated, meaning on two or more occasions

Stalker Categories Love ObsessionalSimple Obsessional ErotomaniacFalse Victimization Syndrome

Research Problems  “False Positives”  Mental-health professionals may label individuals as not dangerous and will not commit violent felonies.  “False Negatives”  Offenders who move through the system and we fail to identify them as potentially dangerous.

Conclusion Domestic violence and stalking cases require: Critical thinking Proactive management Intervention strategies Prevention strategies

Law Enforcement Requires: BrainstormingCooperation PlanningConsultation CoordinationExcellent judgment