COMBATING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: FINDINGS FROM AN EVALUATION OF A LOCAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COURT*

Abstract

Research Summary:The present study examined the effectiveness of a localized domestic violence court in Lexington County, South Carolina. An interrupted time series analysis indicated that domestic violence arrests increased significantly after the court was established. Recidivism rates of 189 defendants arrested for domestic violence before the implementation of the domestic violence court were compared with 197 defendants arrested after the court's implementation. Results indicate significantly lower rates of rearrests among defendants processed through the domestic violence court.Policy Implications:The results from this study suggest that systematic localized court interventions aimed at domestic violence defendants can be effective at enhancing enforcement and improving victim safety.