Law Enforcement Perceptions of Victims of Domestic Violence

• In Event: Posters II

Abstract

Law enforcement officers are often the first to respond during a domestic violence crises. Although agencies have guidelines and training for officers to assist them in processing these cases and working with victims, it may be the case that personal perception of the victim and circumstances around the offense impacts the way in which officers react to incidents on-scene, which may or may not be appropriate. Crime victims deserve our criminal justice system to treat them in a fair and equitable manner. For these reasons, a perception study was employed to gain a better understanding of how first line/patrol officers perceive victims of family violence in an effort to design training and curriculum to address any identified gaps. Ten agencies, approximately 500 respondents, participated in this study.

Author

• Jaya Davis, University of Texas at Arlington