Criminology Commons^™

A Comparative Analysis Of Domestic Violence Legislation In India And The United States: Understanding Protection Of Women Against Violence Act 2005 And Violence Against Women Act 1994, Deon Rodrigues

2025 Fall Honors Capstones Projects - Archive

Domestic violence continues to affect millions of individuals worldwide, yet legal systems respond to it in very different ways. This research compares how India’s Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (2005) and the United States’ Violence Against Women Act (1994; 2021) protect victims and hold offenders accountable. Using a comparative legal analysis, the study examines both laws’ language, enforcement mechanisms, and effectiveness through court cases, government reports, and statistical data. By identifying the strengths of the United States model such as mandatory arrest provisions and victim support systems, the study aims to propose practical reforms for India’s legal framework. …

Investigating Gender Differences In Intimate Partner Violence Using Gendered General Strain Theory, Stephanie Victoria Dragon

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a public health concern impacting communities and criminal justice systems. Nationwide IPV prevention and reduction policies were emphasized in the media during the aftermath of COVID-19 specifically regarding the identification of IPV offending behaviors through law enforcement screening tools. Research on IPV offending has clearly established a link in offenders exerting methods of power and control to harm an intimate partner through verbal abuse, coercion, sexual violence, and physical violence. Further, research also identified significant disproportional experiences of lethality in female victims at the hands of an intimate partner. However, criminological theories outside of control-based …

Explaining The Relationship Between Intimate Partner Violence Victimization And Human Immunodeficiency Virus Status In Transgender And Nonbinary Individuals, Kimberly A. Ingold, Brent Teasdale

Faculty Publications - Criminal Justice Sciences

Study Questions: Previous research has shown that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status and intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization are correlated. Furthermore, it has been consistently reported that transgender individuals are at an increased risk of experiencing IPV victimization and testing positive for HIV compared to cisgender individuals. However, past research examining the potential explanations for the correlation between HIV status and IPV victimization in transgender individuals using a large and inclusive sample is nonexistent. Subjects: A total of 12,592 transgender and nonbinary individuals from across the United States were included in the analyses. Methods: Through a bivariate probit analysis of …

Spouse Violence In Case Of Police Officers In Puerto Rico: Violence In Police Families, Jorge Ismael Suarez

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to explore the relationship between factors related to police work and whether these factors help predict domestic violence in a sample of officers of the Puerto Rico Police. The following factors were explored in this study: external burnout, alcohol abuse, department withdrawal, and authoritarian spillover. This study was based on a previous study by Johnson et al. (2005), which revealed that violence exposure and domestic violence among police officers are linked according to four mediation chains. The mediation chain was a model implemented by the authors to determine the influence of burnout, authoritarian spillover, alcohol …

Beyond Carceral "Solutions": Using Transformative Human Rights Education In Domestic Violence Prevention, Alli E. Rios

Master's Projects and Capstones

Domestic violence is a choice a person makes to gain and exert absolute power and control over another person. Unfortunately, the predominant structure for addressing domestic violence - the criminal justice system - is rife with problematic social and structural constructs, like patriarchy, white supremacy, and neoliberalism, which are themselves rooted in issues of power and control (Acheson, 2022). The influence of these factors, which are largely defined by exploitative hierarchies, helps to explain why domestic violence remains prevalent. To more effectively address and prevent domestic violence, research suggests that comprehensive policy and curricular reform are necessary on multiple levels …

Training On Law Enforcement's Response To Interpersonal Violence, Genna Hilt

Undergraduate Distinction Papers

The current study examines how police officers in various settings perceive interpersonal violence response training as well as how they respond to vignettes detailing hypothetical scenarios of sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking. A common criticism of experience with police following a traumatic occurrence of sexual or interpersonal violence is inappropriate attitude and conduct on behalf of law enforcement agents. Trauma and victim centered training may improve police responding within this field; however, the training received is variable (Campbell et al., 2019; Kinney et al., 2007). In this study, ten participants answered interview or survey items detailing the extent of …

Determinants Of Domestic Violence Among Women Of Reproductive Age (15-49 Years) In Quetta, Balochistan-A Mixed-Method Protocol, Salman Muhammad Soomar, Sarmad Muhammad Soomar

Department of Emergency Medicine

Background: Worldwide, domestic violence (DV) is a cause of death and disability among women aged 15-49 years. In Pakistan, DV appears in different forms, and only 3.2% of women report any DV. There are various factors associated with DV against women. The data are sparse for the Balochistan province due to the under-reporting and scattered population. This research study aims to determine the factors associated with DV and the types of violence among women of reproductive age. Also, to understand the perspective of community leaders and healthcare workers (HCWs) for developing interventions for DV prevention against women of reproductive age …

Marsy’S Law In Georgia: Are Domestic Violence Victims Actually Being Protected By The Law?, Victoria Hannes

Honors College Theses

Marsy's Law, or the Victims Bill of Rights legislation, was first passed in California in 2008 and has been adopted by 13 states. In 2019, Georgia was added to the list of states that adopted the policy. While an important step for the victims' rights movement, little is known about how Marsy's Law impacts the landscape of victims’ rights at the local level. Therefore, the current study endeavored to explore how Marsy's Law is shaping the landscape of victims’ rights for domestic violence victims in Coastal Georgia. Guided by the zero-sum conceptualization of victims' rights, the study investigated the law's …

‘They Did Not Have To Burn My Sister Alive’: Causes And Distribution By State Of Dowry Murder In India, Peter Mayer

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

Dowry, the money, goods, property, or gifts given by the bride’s family to the groom or his family at the time of marriage, is a common custom in South Asia. Although it is illegal to demand—or offer—a dowry in India, it is a nearly universal custom in many parts of the country. If, after marriage, a husband’s family feels that the wife’s dowry was insufficient, they may harass or inflict other forms of domestic violence on her to put pressure on her family to provide an additional dowry. At its most extreme, this violence may lead to the murder of …

The Immediate And Long-Term Effects Of Covid-19 Stay-At-Home Orders On Domestic Violence Calls For Service Across Six U.S. Jurisdictions, Justin Nix, Tara N. Richards

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

We assessed immediate and long-term trends in calls for police service regarding domestic violence following COVID-19 stay-at-home orders. Using open data from the Police Data Initiative, we performed interrupted time-series analyses of weekly calls for service for domestic violence in New Orleans (LA), Cincinnati (OH), Seattle (WA), Salt Lake City (UT), Montgomery County (MD), and Phoenix (AZ). Results indicate that five of the six jurisdictions experienced an immediate, significant spike in domestic violence calls for service (Cincinnati being the lone exception). As stay-at-home orders were lifted throughout the remainder of 2020, domestic violence calls for service declined in every jurisdiction …

Neighborhoods And Intimate Partner Violence: A Decade In Review, Emily M. Wright, Gillian M. Pinchevsky, Min Xie

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

We consider the broad developments that have occurred over the past decade regarding our knowledge of how neighborhood context impacts intimate partner violence (IPV). Research has broadened the concept of “context” beyond structural features such as economic disadvantage, and extended into relationships among residents, collective “action” behaviors among residents, cultural and gender norms. Additionally, scholars have considered how the built environment might foster (or regulate) IPV. We now know more about the direct, indirect, and moderating ways that communities impact IPV. We encourage additional focus on the policy implications of the research findings.

Comparing 911 And Emergency Hotline Calls For Domestic Violence In Seven Cities: What Happened When People Started Staying Home Due To Covid-19?, Tara N. Richards, Justin Nix, Scott Mourtgos, Ian Adams

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

We examine changes in help-seeking for domestic violence (DV) in seven U.S. cities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using Bayesian structural time-series modeling with daily data to construct a synthetic counterfactual, we test whether calls to police and/or emergency hotlines varied in 2020 as people stayed home due to COVID-19. Across this sample, we estimate there were approximately 1,030 more calls to police and 1,671 more calls to emergency hotlines than would have occurred absent the pandemic.Inter-agency data analysis holds great promise for better understanding localized trends in DV in real time. Research-practitioner partnerships can help DV coordinated community response teams …

The Female Face Of Misogyny: A Review Of Decriminalizing Domestic Violence: A Balanced Policy Approach To Intimate Partner Violence By Leigh Goodmark And The Feminist War On Crime: The Unexpected Role Of Women's Liberation In Mass Incarceration By Aya Gruber, Dianne L. Post

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

No abstract provided.

Peace At Last Or Just A Piece Of Paper? Assessing The Utilization Of Civil Protection Orders And Reported Violations, Jennifer Medel

Dissertations

Over the past 50 years, attention to domestic violence as a social problem has grown substantially. With this heightened interest, remedies available to survivors have evolved in both scope and access. One popular avenue of help-seeking concerns civil protection orders (POs), which attempt to prevent subsequent abuse by setting conditions that regulate future interaction between abusers and survivors. Abusers, unfortunately, often violate POs with estimates of cases with violations ranging from 40 to 60%. Relatively little research, however, has examined the nature and determinants of PO violations using court records.

This dissertation addresses these little-studied issues by exploring variations in …

The Prevalence Of Intimate Partner Violence And Victim Resources At Georgia Southern University, Elizabeth Lacey

Honors College Theses

The goal of this project is to measure the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) among young adults in a college setting. Using an anonymous, self-report survey, college students at a large university in the south were asked about their experiences with IPV, as well as their knowledge and perceptions of victim’s services available on campus and in the community. Results reveal that IPV Is more prevalent among females and technology-related IPV is more prevalent among males at Georgia Southern University. In addition, the study found that compared to women, men are more informed about existing victim services.

Intimate Partner Violence In A Native American Community: An Exploratory Study, Sheena L. Gilbert

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Native Americans experience a higher rate of intimate partner violence (IPV) compared to other racial/ethnic groups (Bachman et al., 2010; Bachman et al., 2008; Bohn, 2003; Bryant-Davis et al., 2009; Bubar, 2009; Dugan & Apel, 2003; Hamby, 2000; Perry, 2004), however, there is limited research that examines IPV among Native American populations. To understand Native American victimization, it is important to understand the historical context as it relates to trauma and oppression and how these experiences influence Native victimization experiences today. Historical context, legislation, and current policies are described, as are existing research findings pertaining to Native IPV. This research, …

“Everybody Loses:” Understanding Police Roles And Perceptions Of Domestic Violence Calls, Anjali Fulambarker

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

"To better understand police response to domestic violence, it is useful to consider the perspectives of officers themselves. Through exploratory, in-depth interviews and applying the lens of role theory, this study focuses on police officers’ perceptions of their role in responding to domestic violence, their perceptions of the effectiveness of their response, and challenges they face. Findings suggest that, for these participants, there is an overlap in the different roles they inhabit, as well as limitations and barriers to their response. These limitations and obstacles are a signal that officers may be experiencing role overload, which leads to their frustration …

An Elite Squad?: Intimate Partner Violence Myths In "Law & Order: Special Victim Unit", Katelyn Ahern

Capstone Showcase

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is a long-running fictional crime drama centering on “an elite squad” (NBCUniversal 2019) of detectives. While the show touts a progressive image, it has been previously found to victim-blame, stereotype, and contain rape myths (Brinson 1992; Rader and Rhineberger-Dunn 2010; Rader, Rhineerger-Dunn, and Vasquez 2016). For the present study, I examined how intimate partner violence (IPV) myths are represented in episodes of Law & Order: SVU. I conceptualized IPV myths for use in this study using Peter’s (2008) Domestic Violence Myth Scale. It was found that characters on SVU overwhelmingly support myths more often …

Victimized And Criminalized Black Women’S Experiences With The Police In The Context Of Intimate Partner Violence, Patrina Duhaney

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This qualitative, multi-manuscript dissertation examines the experiences of Black women who live in the Greater Toronto Area and other southwestern Ontario regions who have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV), some of whom were also charged with an IPV-related offence. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 Black women to better understand the meanings they attach to their experiences. Critical race feminism (CRF) was employed to help conceptualize women’s narratives. In addition, the dissertation includes a review of the relevant literature, the methodology that was utilized for the study followed by three self-contained manuscripts. The purpose of the first manuscript is to …

Are Domestic Incidents Really More Dangerous To Police? Findings From The 2016 National Incident Based Reporting System, Justin Nix, Tara Richards, Gillian M. Pinchevsky, Emily M. Wright

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

It is widely believed among police officers that domestic incidents are among the most dangerous incidents to which they respond. However, most research in this area suffers from the “denominator problem,” where prior studies have focused on incidents resulting in harm to police officers and failed to account for incidents not resulting in harm. Such methodologies can produce drastically misleading results. This paper uses data from the 2016 National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS) to overcome the denominator problem. We examine the probability of (1) an officer being assaulted and (2) an officer being injured or killed when responding to …

Effect Of Religion On Domestic Violence Perpetration Among American Adults, Cassidy Mitchell

Theses

After Hirschi and Stark’s Hellfire and Delinquency (1969), researchers have been seeking to determine whether there is a correlational link between religion and crime. This paper seeks to add to the literature by correlating domestic violence with four elements of religion (use of belief to solve everyday problems, prayer frequency, religious importance, and attendance of worship) that correspond with the four elements of Hirschi’s social control theory (attachment, commitment, belief, and involvement, respectively) (1969). It also includes male victims of domestic violence among female victims, unlike most previous literature. Using a series of logistic regression models, only attendance of worship, …

Women, Domestic Violence Service Providers, And Knowledge Of Technology-Related Abuse, Nadine White

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many victims of domestic violence face continued exposure to abuse through technology because intimate partners may use technology as weapon against them. Some domestic violence service professionals lack necessary information or training to educate victims. The impact on victims has not been thoroughly examined. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to assess the impact on women when domestic violence service providers do not provide current information about technology-related abuse to promote safety when providing service to victims. The conceptual framework was the Duluth model of power and control and the feminist perspective on intimate partner violence. The primary …

Factors Influencing Law Enforcement Responses To Child To Parent Violence, Gaylene Armstrong, Lisa Muftic, Leana A. Bouffard

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

A domestic violence incident perpetrated by a child toward his or her parent presents a challenging dynamic for law enforcement officers responding to these calls for service. To date, law enforcement responses to child to parent violence (CPV) have only been studied dichotomously (i.e., decision to arrest), and as a result, the associated complexities are not well understood. Here, we add to the understanding of individual, situational, and contextual factors that influence law enforcement response to CPV by examining 1,113 calls for service in a Midwestern state. In assessing the relative influence of these factors on responses using a multinomial …

Neighborhoods And Intimate Partner Violence Against Women: The Direct And Interactive Effects Of Social Ties And Collective Efficacy, Emily M. Wright, Marie Skubak Tillyer

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

This study examines the impact of several indicators of neighborhood social ties (e.g., residents’ interactions with each other; residents’ ability to recognize outsiders) on intimate partner violence (IPV) against women as well as whether neighborhood collective efficacy’s impact on IPV is contingent upon such ties. This study used data from 4,151 women (46% Latina, 33% African American, 17% Caucasian, on average 32 years old) in 80 neighborhoods from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods. We estimated a series of random effects hierarchical Bernoulli models to assess the main and interactive effects of neighborhood social ties and collective efficacy …

Motivations To Return To A Gang After Severe Physical Victimization, Nora Vlaszof

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

Gang violence is a social concern because of the risks of victimization among gang members and their communities. Many gang members have been victims of gang violence, and some choose to remain involved with their gang even after being victimized. Researchers have explored why people join gangs, but less is known regarding the gang-victimization link, which is the focus of this study. Social bond theory guided the study's research question on the motivation of gang members to rejoin their gang after severe physical victimization. A multiple case study design was employed with a purposeful sample of six English-speaking men, …

Judicial Differences In Protective Orders Issuance Rates: An Examination Of Courtroom Actors, Case Aspects, And Individual Characteristics, Elena Alexandra Bejinariu

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Using a mixed methods approach, this study examines whether: (1) courtroom actors (i.e., presence of legal counsel, translator, victim advocate, or informal support person; and presiding judge), (2) case aspects (i.e., abuse mentioned, type of abuse mentioned; weapon mentioned; children mentioned; and session time), and (3) individual characteristics (i.e., presence of applicant and/or adverse party; and race and gender of applicant and adverse party) influence an applicant’s likelihood of being granted a civil protective order and the length of time it is granted for. Several types of analytic methods were conducted (i.e., bivariate analyses, logistic regression analyses, and sets of …

Incarcerated Men And The Etiology Of Intimate Partner Violence, Roxanne Swogger

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study explored the lived experiences of 15 incarcerated men with a history of intimate partner violence.This qualitative grounded theory study revealed the impact significant loss in childhood, the most critical being the loss of a parent, had on these men.The results showed a significant loss set in motion a series of adaptive and maladaptive interpersonal behaviors with significant others, primarily parents and intimate partners that continued through adulthood and incarceration.The grounded theory dimensional analysis revealed five primary dimensions that described the dominant social processes described by the participants.These processes were:seeking, overcoming, blaming, controlling, and disengaging behaviors.The consequences of these …

Representations Of Stranger And Non-Stranger Homicide: A Qualitative Content Analysis Of Canadian News Media, Gabriella L. Leone

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The news media play a significant role in shaping public narratives about homicide by the particular incidents that journalists choose to report – or not report – on. Newspapers, in particular, lack the benefit of constant imagery, special effects, and live-action reporting that T.V. news reports have, and, as a result, forces newspapers to construct sensational and newsworthy homicide stories in order to be competitive and gain readership. To achieve this, newspapers often disproportionately report on bizarre and atypical homicide incidents, which most frequently involve a stranger or unknown assailant. While there is substantive literature surrounding the newsworthiness of homicide …

Integrating The Principles Of Effective Intervention Into Batterer Intervention Programming: The Case For Moving Toward More Evidence-Based Programming, Dana L. Radatz, Emily M. Wright

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

The majority of batterer intervention program (BIP) evaluations have indicated they are marginally effective in reducing domestic violence recidivism. Meanwhile, correctional programs used to treat a variety of offenders (e.g., substance users, violent offenders, and so forth) that adhere to the “principles of effective intervention” (PEI) have reported significant reductions in recidivism. This article introduces the PEI—the principles on which evidence-based practices in correctional rehabilitation are based—and identifies the degree to which they are currently integrated into BIPs. The case is made that batterer programs could be more effective if they incorporate the PEI. Recommendations for further integration of the …

Fox In The Henhouse: A Study Of Police Officers Arrested For Crimes Associated With Domestic And/Or Family Violence, Philip M. Stinson, John Liederbach

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

The problem of violence within police families has been increasingly recognized as an important socio-legal issue, but there is a lack of empirical data on what has commonly been referred to as officer-involved domestic violence (OIDV). There are no comprehensive statistics available on OIDV and no government entity collects data on the criminal conviction of police officers for crimes associated with domestic and/or family violence. Prior self-report officer surveys are limited by the tendency to conceal instances of family violence and the interests of officers to maintain a "code of silence" to protect their careers. The purpose of the current …