Preventing Repeat Incidents of Family Violence: A Randomized Field Test of a Second Responder Program in Redlands, CA. Executive Summary

摘要

It is no longer assumed that the initial patrol response to domestic incidents -- especially those incidents where no arrest is made--is sufficient in and of itself to protect victims from recurrence of abuse. Domestic violence experts have come to realize that effective solutions to domestic violence must involve efforts to educate victims about their options and connect them with counseling, relocation, civil legal assistance, and other services that can lessen dependence on the abuser. In recent years a number of programs have been developed in which social workers (second responders) visit homes in which domestic incidents were recently reported to the police in order to help them find long-term solutions to recurring abuse (e.g. see Dean, Lumb, Proctor, Klopovic, Hyatt, & Hamby, 2000; Mickish, 2002). While these programs rapidly gained in popularity in the United States, the evidence regarding their effectiveness is mixed. Although some research has indicated that second responder programs can prevent repeat victimization, the most rigorous studies have suggested that these programs may actually increase the odds of abuse recurring.