Standards for Batterer Programs

Abstract

Summary Our article reports data from a three-year formative study of the Illinois Protocol for Domestic Abuse Batterers Programs. This evaluation research is guided by three questions: (1) How do standards affect the way batterer programs deliver services to men who batter? (2) How do standards impact community efforts to prevent violence? and (3) How do standards affect judicial referral for domestic violence intervention? Data include: (1) surveys of 50 victim service agencies, 63 batterer programs, and 823 men in 27 batterer programs, and (2) structured interviews with 146 key informants, including judges and prosecutors, battered women's advocates, and batterer program staff. Results suggest that standards meet the goals set for them, although with some unintended consequences. The primary effects of the Illinois standards are providing a structure for programs working with men who batter, structuring collaboration between batterer programs and victim service agencies, increasing judicial confidence that batterers are being served appropriately, and forcing victim programs to think about batterer programs.