Domestic Violence In The Criminal Justice System

Domestic violence is defined as consistently abusive behavior by one person against another involved in an intimate relationship, such as dating or marriage. It is recognized as a criminal offense in almost all countries across the world. Also called spousal abuse, battering, and family violence. Domestic violence must be identified as a public, national crime. To reduce domestic violence today, the US criminal justice systems should change the arrest policies, violations of order of protections and referring domestic violence as a misdemeanor.
Domestic violence is one of the most unreported crimes. The Department of Justice in 1998 estimated that there are between 960,000 and four million domestic incidents each year. About 92 percent of domestic violence cases involve female victims.(Findlaw.com 1) In intimate relationships there will be a continuance of controlling acts and manipulation. Including, physical, sexual, and psychological attacks. Domestic violence, also could be known as an “abusive relationship”. Women in abusive relationships often blame themselves for their …show more content…
Officer discretion is the ability of officers to use logic and common sense. And, for those seeking assistance from the criminal justice system (CJS), mandatory arrest subordinates their rights and needs to that of the CJS. Advocates claim, with effectiveness that the criminal justice system has factual ignored the context, circumstances and various desires and needs of victims. Majority of states have accepted arrest policies that require police to either arrest one or both parties at the scene, or to just write a report justifying why an arrest is not made. Mandatory arrest policies are normally safer for the victim because if the abuser isn’t arrested, he or she will make the attack worse against the victim as a beating for contacting the