Poster #51 - Danger at Home: Domestic Violence Case Processing and Recidivism in a Large Urban Court

• In Event: ASC Poster Session II

Abstract

While a majority of violent crimes are perpetrated by offenders known to the victim, domestic violence remains an underreported crime that is often challenging to process in the criminal justice system. Moreover, prior studies demonstrate this is often a repeated crime problem that leaves victims at continued risk, raising questions about the effectiveness of criminal justice system intervention in reducing future violence. Despite the prevalence of these crimes, there is a dearth of studies examining domestic violence criminal case processing and recidivism. The current study describes criminal court decisions in these cases – including pretrial release, disposition, and judgement – and re-arrest for violence among those arrested for domestic violence offenses (i.e., both family and intimate partner violence) in a large urban county over a 6-year period. Avenues for future scholarly work and practical recommendations are considered.

Authors

• Kellie R. Lynch, University of Texas at San Antonio

• Marie Skubak Tillyer, University of Texas at San Antonio

• Richard D. Hartley, University of Texas at San Antonio