The purpose of this case control study was to compare police officers (
n = 106) from a large urban police force, charged with committing intimate partner violence (IPV) with officers who were not
charged (
n = 105), in order to identify risk factors for IPV. We also compared the frequency, type, and final disposition of IPV reports
filed against police officers before and after the enactment of the 1994 Violence against Women Act (VAWA). Officers accused
of IPV were more likely to be members of a minority, on the force more than 7 years and assigned to a high crime district.
No major differences on intake baseline MMPI scores were noted between cases and controls. A significant increase in reports
of IPV was noted after the enactment of VAWA; the rate changed from 0.2/100 to 1.2/100 person years, although there were too
few pre-1994 reports to compare further. Most of the final dispositions of the cases resulted in cases closed due to unsupported
testimony from victims.
Keywords police officers - spousal abuse - violence against women act legislation
An erratum to this article is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10896-005-6086-7.