One Size Does Not Fit All: A Case Study of an Alternative Intimate Partner Violence Court. (October 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Murphy-Geiss, Gail E.; Roberts, Wade T.; Miles, Douglas J.
• Is Part Of: Feminist criminology. Volume 10:Number 4(2015:Oct.)
• Page Start: 348
• Page End: 367
• Publication Date: 2015-10
• Subjects: intimate partner violence -- criminal justice policy -- alternative sentencing -- compliance -- recidivism; Feminist criminology -- Periodicals; Female offenders -- Periodicals; 364.37405
• DOI: 10.1177/1557085114554258
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1557-0851

Abstract

Many scholars argue that intimate partner violence is too complex to address through the "one-size-fits-all" approaches that are common in most criminal justice venues. Instead, they advocate for coordinated approaches that address the unique circumstances of each offender. For 3 years, El Paso County ran a "Pilot Program, " which applied in-depth analytical tools to tailor court orders to each defendant. The program, to which offenders were randomly assigned, ran parallel to the county's "one-size-fits-all" program, providing a rare opportunity to assess the efficacy of each approach. We find the Pilot Program significantly increased compliance and reduced the likelihood of recidivism.