Undesignated Domestic Violence and Prosecutorial Decision-Making in Rural Alabama

• In Event: Rural Subjugation: How dominance and control pervade the rural space

Abstract

One of the most pressing challenges facing communities today is domestic violence and its impact on diverse communities. However, research on domestic violence is either dismissed, under-measured and ubiquitous, or focuses on a specific group of offenders. The purpose of this study is to elucidate the factors influencing prosecutorial decision-making in select felony cases and gain a more comprehensive, nuanced understanding of the legal factors that contribute to undesignated domestic violence. The study focuses on rural communities in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, a state where domestic violence is a complex and nuanced issue impacting nearly 40% of women and 30% of men over the course of their lives (Smith et al. 2017). We analyze over 1000 adjudicated homicide and serious assault felony cases with female victims to ascertain how many could have been charged as domestic violence cases and consult with prosecutors and the District Attorney to understand the underlying reasons for the absence of or subsuming of domestic violence charges within higher charges. By making instances of undesignated domestic violence visible, we aim to establish a form of community accountability that advocates for rural victims.

Authors

• Brittany VandeBerg, University of Alabama

• Susan Dewey, The University of Alabama