title: Enhancing Police Responses to Domestic Violence Incidents: Reports From Client Advocates in New South Wales.
abstract: In an online survey about experiences with the police complaint system, 239 client advocates described a recent incident in which a client with grounds to lodge a complaint declined to do so. Almost one third of those incidents involved domestic violence. Thematic analysis of case descriptions revealed that many police did not take domestic violence reports seriously. A typology of problematic police conduct was developed. Many officers failed to observe current procedures and appeared to lack knowledge of relevant laws. Citizens feared retaliatory victimization by police and/or perceived that complaining was futile. Implications of these findings are reviewed in light of procedural justice theory.
authors.affiliation: Charles Sturt University (Manly Campus), New South Wales, Australia jdelahunty@csu.edu.au.
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Goodman-Delahunty
authors.affiliation: Charles Sturt University (Goulburn), New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Anna Corbo
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Crehan
mesh_terms: D019548:Crime Victims / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009517:New South Wales; D016495:Police / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards*; D024382:Professional Role / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: apprehended violence order; complaints; domestic violence; police practice; procedural justice