Batterer Intervention Systems: Issues, Outcomes, and Recommendations

by Edward W. Gondolf

Overview

Based this work on a seven-year study of batterer intervention programs in four cities, Gondolf (Indiana U. of Pennsylvania) focuses on the evaluation of such programs: how to determine whether they "work." The book charts a journey through the evaluation process and what Gondolf's group learned from it. Identifying batterer programs as part of a larger intervention system, it discusses the challenges and solutions in evaluating program outcomes and effectiveness. It includes facts and figures about batterer programs and makes recommendations for program structure and system development.

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Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780761916611
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	11/01/2001
Series:	SAGE Series on Violence against Women
Pages:	364
Product dimensions:	6.22(w) x 9.28(h) x 0.77(d)

Table of Contents

	Preface	vii
1.	Introduction: The Emergence of Batterer Programs and Intervention Systems	1
	The Response to Domestic Violence	3
	Batterer Programs	9
	Our Multisite Evaluation	16
Part I	Evaluation Issues
2.	Evaluating Whether Batterer Programs Work	27
	Do Batterer Programs Work?	27
	The Need for Batterer Program Evaluation	29
	Problems Facing Evaluation	34
	Trade-Offs of Research Designs	39
	Conclusion	44
3.	The Limitations of Previous Evaluations	47
	Previous Evaluations	47
	Experimental Evaluations	51
	Conclusion	61
4.	Comparing Batterer Intervention Systems	63
	Research Design	64
	Program Sites	70
	Measures and Procedures	82
	Conclusion	87
Part II	Outcomes and Implications
5.	The Diverse Characteristics of Program Participants and Their Partners	93
	Characteristics of the Men	94
	Characteristics of the Female Partners	101
	Atypical Cases	107
	Conclusion	110
6.	The De-Escalation of Reassault and Other Abuse	113
	Cumulative Reassault	114
	Reassault Among Special Groups	118
	Reassault Trends	121
	Other Abuse	124
	Implications	128
	Conclusion	131
7.	Evidence of a Program Effect	135
	Program Effect	137
	Defining Dropout	138
	Avoiding Reassault	147
	Program Comparison	150
	Program Costs	157
	Conclusion	191
8.	Difficulty in Identifying the Most Dangerous Men	165
	Risk Markers	167
	Batterer Types	177
	Repeat Reassault	183
	Conclusion	191
Part III	Research and Policy Recommendations
9.	Conclusion: The System Matters	199
	The Major Findings From Our Evaluation	200
	Limitations and Alternatives	205
	Program and Policy Recommendations	212
	Conclusion	216
Appendix	Research Staff	219
	References	227
	Author Index	241
	Subject Index	246
	About the Author	254

Editorial Reviews

"Batterer Intervention Systems is a very important book—probably the most important one on batter interventions and evaluations to date.... The writing style is very strong, conversational, and kept my interest. It presents complex information in a non-technical way. The book should be very accessible to a wide audience."

Jeffrey L. Edleson

"Batterer Intervention Systems is a very important book—probably the most important one on batter interventions and evaluations to date.... The writing style is very strong, conversational, and kept my interest. It presents complex information in a non-technical way. The book should be very accessible to a wide audience."

JEFFREY L. EDLESON