This Article Full Text (OnlineFirst PDF) All Versions of this Article: 0886260507312943v1 23/4/454    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Trujillo, M. P. Articles by Ross, S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Trujillo, M. P. Articles by Ross, S. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Police Response to Domestic Violence: Making Decisions About Risk and Risk Management

University of Melbourne

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: mperez{at}unimelb.edu.au.

	Abstract

Assessing and responding to risk are key elements in how police respond to domestic violence. However, relatively little is known about the way police make judgments about the risks associated with domestic violence and how these judgments influence their actions. This study examines police decisions about risk in domestic violence incidents when using a risk assessment instrument. Based on a sample of 501 risk assessments completed by police in Australia, this study shows that a limited number of items on the risk assessment instrument are important in police officers’ decisions about risk. Statistical analyses show that the victim’s level of fear contributes to police officers’ judgment on the level of risk and their decisions on which risk management strategy should be used. These findings suggest that research on police responses to domestic violence needs to pay greater attention to situational dynamics and the task requirements of risk-based decision making.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?