Domestic violence risk assessment is the evaluation of characteristics of an offender, offense, or other circumstances considered relevant to the risk that an offender will commit a domestic violence offense in the future. Whether information is considered relevant and how it is weighed depend on the approaches taken to risk assessment. In the two leading
Initial research recognized wives as victims of domestic violence. Thereafter, it was acknowledged that unmarried women were also falling victim to violence at the hands of their boyfriends. Subsequently, the term ‘‘battered women’’ became synonymous with ‘‘battered wives.’’ Legitimizing female victimization served as the catalyst in introducing other types of intimate partner violence. Research Topics
There is no single causal factor related to domestic violence. Rather, scholars have concluded that there are numerous factors that contribute to domestic violence. Feminists found that women were beaten at the hands of their partners. Drawing on feminist theory, they helped explain the relationship between patriarchy and domestic violence. Researchers have examined other theoretical
The Violence against Women Act (VAWA) of 1994 helped pave domestic violence concerns into legislative matters. Historically, family violence was handled through informal measures often resulting in mishandling of cases. Through VAWA, victims were given the opportunity to have their cases legally remedied. This legitimized the separation of specialized domestic and family violence courts from
Domestic violence courts are specialized to address the complex issues presented in domestic violence cases. These courts utilize approaches that reflect a significant departure from those of traditional courts. While no single model of a domestic violence court is used by all states, domestic violence courts across the United States share a similar philosophical orientation
Christians consider the family to be a sacred institution. In fact, celebrating the virtues of family life and family values has become a cardinal feature of the contemporary Christian message in North America and beyond. So powerful is the nostalgia for family togetherness that keeping families intact and ensuring that the family unit is strong
Victims of domestic violence face different kinds of risks. Perpetrators are the most obvious source of risk. Risk assessment procedures seek to identify the most dangerous perpetrators. However, victims also face risks associated with the delivery of various system services including law enforcement, the judicial system, emergency medical services, and so on. For example, a
The term ‘‘Asian’’ is widely used for those individuals who have ethnic ties to Asia, which includes the Far East, Southeast Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. This would consist of countries such as China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, India, Pakistan, and the Philippines. ‘‘Pacific Islands’’ refers to Hawaii, Guam, and Samoa, and other islands
Domestic violence continues to exist in American society in spite of legislative and community-level strategies aimed at eradicating this social problem. Likewise, prevention and intervention efforts by professionals in the fields of law enforcement, public health, and social work have been met with some success. One particular challenge to addressing issues related to domestic violence
According to the 2000 Census, there were over 34 million Americans who identified as African American. This group constitutes over 12 percent of the U.S. population (U.S. Bureau of the Census 2001). As a group, they are very diverse and differ greatly from each other in socioeconomic status, education level, racial identity, acculturation, family structure