NCNSC was contacted by a group of researchers and practitioners in the United Kingdom who were interested in learning more about High Point Police Department’s application of focused deterrence to combat domestic violence. The group published a report entitled, Domestic Violence: Evidence Review in which they stated: “While domestic violence is high on the public policy agenda in the UK, successive reviews have highlighted policing problems. A recent HMIC report found domestic violence is not policed at the same level as other offences and identified a catalogue of policing failures that have a long history of recurrence. With domestic violence accounting for around a large proportion of violent crime incidents reported to the police, and the majority of all female homicides (Office for National Statistics, 2013), it is essential that what works in addressing perpetrators is fully reviewed.” The review was prepared to as a rapid assessment of the current state of the evidence on policing interventions for domestic violence.

A full copy of the review can be accessed here: DomesticViolence_EvidenceReview.

The review provides an up-to-date perspective of what is working regarding policing efforts aimed at combating domestic violence and could serve as a valuable resource for community’s looking for evidence-based solutions.

Last week, NC Network for Safe Communities presented along with the High Point Police Department at the North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence conference. The latest evaluation results of the effort are very promising. At the two year mark since implementation of the initiative, domestic violence offenders who have been notified have a 9% recidivism as measured by repeat arrest for a domestic violence-related crime. Also, domestic-related arrests , domestic assaults with injury, and intimate partner domestic calls for service have all  decreased significantly since implementation.

The findings support that domestic violence offender behavior can be changed by stripping their anonymity and putting them on notice, creating swift, certain, and predictable consequences for offending, and allowing them to make a rational choice to stop domestic violence offending behavior. Further, this can be achieved all without any additional harm to victims and leading to a huge savings in terms of law enforcement resources and without reliance on traditional responses to domestic offenders (i.e., incarceration, treatment programs, anger management, etc.).

Please click the link below for a full copy of the presentation.

NCCADV 2014 Conference Presentation

A PSRC Article from March 2014 makes the case that the PSN strategy in Rockingham County has saved money by reducing offender recidivism and has changed the lives of offenders who have been notified through the initiative. This article is a great example of how other sites may sell their strategy through the media by telling success stories and showcasing the benefits. Many thanks to Guilio Daterro for sharing this article with us.