Evaluation of a Centralized Response to Domestic Violence by the San Diego County Sheriff's Department Domestic Violence Unit, 1998-1999 (ICPSR 3488)

Time Period(s) View help for Time Period(s)

Date of Collection View help for Date of Collection

Data Collection Notes View help for Data Collection Notes

Hide

Study Purpose View help for Study Purpose

This study examined the implementation of a specialized domestic violence unit within the San Diego County Sheriff's Department to determine whether creation of the new unit would lead to increased and improved reporting, and more filings for prosecution. The study was conducted by the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), and supported by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ). The researchers tried to answer these questions: (1) Was the San Diego County Sheriff's Department Domestic Violence Unit implemented as stated in the project proposal? (2) What features of the project describe specialization? (3) What types of training are provided to investigators in a specialized domestic violence unit? (4) How effective is a specialized approach in impacting the response of field deputies who are the first responders to domestic violence calls? (5) What are the nature and scope of coordination and collaboration with other agencies providing services in the domestic violence area?

Study Design View help for Study Design

In order to evaluate the implementation of the specialized domestic violence unit, the researchers conducted the following tasks: (1) They surveyed field deputies to assess their level of knowledge about domestic violence laws and adherence to the countywide domestic violence protocol. (2) They studied a sample from the case tracking system that reported cases of domestic violence handled by the domestic violence unit to determine changes in procedures compared to an earlier case tracking study when there was no specialized unit. (3) They interviewed victims of domestic violence by phone to explore the responsiveness of the field deputies and the unit detectives to the needs of the victims. Prior to being contacted by the researchers, unit staff would first call the victims to explain the purpose and nature of the interviews. Detectives were provided with a script to use that assured the victims that their participation was voluntary, their information would be considered confidential, and that their willingness to participate would not affect their case. When researchers contacted the victim, they identified themselves as such, reminded the victim that he or she had previously agreed to be interviewed, and reminded the victim of the purpose of the interview. Researchers again assessed victim privacy, sense of safety, and appropriateness of the time. Two female researchers conducted all 46 interviews. To allow time for the detectives to follow up with the victims, the victims were contacted two weeks following the date of the incident.

Sample View help for Sample

Random sampling.

Universe View help for Universe

Domestic violence cases in San Diego County entered into the case tracking system from July 26 to September 11, 1999.

Unit(s) of Observation View help for Unit(s) of Observation

Data Source View help for Data Source

Data Type(s) View help for Data Type(s)

Description of Variables View help for Description of Variables

Part 1 (Deputy Survey Data) contains data on unit detectives' knowledge about the laws concerning domestic violence. Information includes whether or not the person considered the primary aggressor was the person who committed the first act of aggression, if a law enforcement officer could decide whether or not to complete a domestic violence supplemental report, whether an arrest should be made if there was reasonable cause to believe that a misdemeanor offense had been committed, and whether the decision to prosecute a suspect lay within the discretion of the district or city attorney. Demographic variables include deputy's years of education and law enforcement experience. Part 2 (Case Tracking Data) includes demographic variables such as race and sex of the victim and the suspect, and the relationship between the victim and the suspect. Other information was collected on whether the victim and the suspect used alcohol and drugs prior to or during the incident, if the victim was pregnant, if children were present during the incident, highest charge on the incident report, if the reporting call was made at the same place the incident occurred, suspect actions described on the report, if a gun, knife, physical force, or verbal abuse was used in the incident, if the victim or the suspect was injured, and if medical treatment was provided to the victim. Data were also gathered on whether the suspect was arrested or booked, how the investigating officer decided whether to request that the prosecutor file charges, type of evidence collected, if a victim or witness statement was collected, if the victim had a restraining order, prior history of domestic violence, if the victim was provided with information on domestic violence law, hotline, shelter, transportation, and medical treatment, highest arrest charge, number of arrests for any drug charges, weapon charges, domestic violence charges, or other charges, case disposition, number of convictions for the charges, and number of prior arrests and convictions. Part 3 (Victim Survey Data) includes demographic variables such as victim's gender and race. Other variables include how much time the deputy spent at the scene when s/he responded to the call, number of deputies the victim interacted with at the scene, number of deputies at the scene that were male or female, if the victim used any of the information the deputy provided, if the victim used referral information for counseling, legal, shelter, and other services, how helpful the victim found the information, and the victim's rating of the performance of the deputy.

Response Rates View help for Response Rates

Part 1 and 2: Not applicable. Part 3: 65 percent.

Presence of Common Scales View help for Presence of Common Scales

Several Likert-type scales were used.

Hide

Original Release Date View help for Original Release Date

2002-12-09

Version History View help for Version History

Hide