Severity of Dispositions and Domestic Violence Recidivism

The article is based on a study of adults arrested for misdemeanor domestic violence in Hamilton County (Cincinnati), Ohio. Arrestees were tracked for one year after their sentences, if any, had been served. Qualitatively, more severe sentences (e.g., jail combined with probation versus either probation or jail) corresponded with lower recidivism likelihood. Also, these sentences appeared most effective for persons with greater stakes in conformity (i.e., those less transient in terms of residence and employment and those living in neighborhoods with higher socioeconomic status). While sentence severity may contribute to the prevention of recidivism, the length of probation and the length of jail were not significant predictors of recidivism. The article suggests that a policy of shock incarceration that combines 1 month of jail with 6 months of probation would be effective for significantly reducing recidivism among this population of offenders. Tables, notes, references