title: Removing guns from batterers: findings from a pilot survey of domestic violence restraining order recipients in California.
abstract: Persons under certain domestic violence restraining orders in California are required to surrender any firearms in their possession within 24 hours of service. The California Department of Justice funded a pilot program in which Sheriff's Offices in two counties developed a system for better enforcing the firearm surrender requirement. As part of a larger process evaluation, 17 restraining order recipients were interviewed about their experiences with and feelings about the removal of firearms from their abusers. Most women surveyed wanted firearms removed and felt safer as a result of their removal. Implications of the findings are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Center for Gun Policy and Research, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 North Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205-1996, USA. kvittes@jhsph.edu
authors.forename: Katherine A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Vittes
authors.forename: Daniel W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Webster
authors.forename: Shannon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Frattaroli
authors.forename: Barbara E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Claire
authors.forename: Garen J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Wintemute
mesh_terms: D001290:Attitude; D018585:Battered Women; D002140:California; D003416:Criminal Law; D057237:Criminals; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D005389:Firearms / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D035846:Law Enforcement; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012449:Safety; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D014754:Violence / Q000517:prevention & control
keywords: domestic violence policy; firearms; intimate partner violence