Social and Legal Determinants on the Enforcement of Domestic Violence Laws by the Police: A Study of New Jersey Police Officers
Item
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Title
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Social and Legal Determinants on the Enforcement of Domestic Violence Laws by the Police: A Study of New Jersey Police Officers
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Identifier
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d_2009_2013:25736d1091e3:10710
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identifier
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10738
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Creator
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Waldron, John F.,
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Contributor
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Maria (Maki) Haberfeld
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Date
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2010
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Criminology | domestic violence | enforcement | legal determinants | New Jersey | police offficers | social determinants
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Abstract
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A survey study of 425 police officers operating within fourteen police departments over a two countywide area of New Jersey examines police officer's attitudes and opinions concerning the enforcement of domestic violence laws. New Jersey is a jurisdiction with strict statewide mandatory arrest policies and procedures that apply to all police agencies. Extensive mandatory training is a key component to the New Jersey model of domestic violence enforcement. The first phase of the research examines similarities and differences by the setting in which officer's work: Urban, urban suburb, large suburban, and small suburban police agencies. The second phase examines six scenarios in which officers responded to questions as to how they would handle domestic situations. A follow-up question to each scenario explored the motivation and justification for the officer's action. The majority of police officers cited as their primary motivation in handling mandatory arrest situations of domestic violence that their actions were mandated under law. Yet, only about one-half of officers in the study had received all mandatory required training over the past four years. Police officers in a mandatory arrest jurisdiction for the enforcement of domestic violence laws rely heavily on their perception of the law to justify their enforcement activities. Significant correlations were found between a police officer's personal and professional positive opinions toward the enforcement of domestic violence legislation and his actions in mandatory arrest domestic violence situations. Police officers are more likely to make an arrest for a domestic violence offense in a mandatory arrest situation when they observe the offense as opposed to when they must rely on victim statements or physical evidence to establish probable cause.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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2009_2013.csv
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degree
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Ph.D.
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Program
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Criminal Justice
