Wife Assaut as a Crime

The Perspectives of Victims & Police Officers on a Charging Policy in London, Ontario, from 1980-1990

FINAL REPORT

Peter Jaffe, Deborah Reitzel, Elaine Hastings & Gary Austin (1991).

The executive summary is available on this web site.

This study addressed the effectiveness of police officers laying charges in cases of wife assault when the police have reasonable and probable grounds to believe that an assault has taken place. The effectiveness of this police was assessed using interviews with 90 women in London. Ontario who had been physically abused by their partners and received one of three interventions: 1) police intervention/charges laid (n=52); 2) police intervention/no charges laid (n=14); and 3) no police intervention/no charges laid (n=24). Findings indicate that victims had a high level of satisfaction with police officers' interventions and reported a significant reduction in violence when criminal charges were laid by the police. The small sample size did not allow for an analysis of meaningful interactions between police and other community interventions (e.g., specialized social services.)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

Methodology

• Study Participants

• Measures

• Procedure

Results

• Section A: Response of the London Police Force

• Section B: Response of the Victims of Violence

Discussion

Summary and Recommendations

Tables

References

Appendix A: Directive from the London Police Force

Appendix B: Letter from the London Police Force

Appendix C: Advertisement

Appendix D: Victim Interview Form

Appendix E: Victim Code Sheet

Appendix F: Police Survey

Appendix G: Research Information and Consent Form

This document can be ordered from the Centre for $18.00 (CAD) plus the cost of shipping and handling. See our Order Form for more information. Also note that the Executive Summary is available on this web site.