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American Sociological Review On Domestic Violence

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Introduction

Deaths, altercations, arrests, and separations. What could they possibly all have in common? That would be domestic violence. From professional football players to celebrities that have committed domestic violence. Domestic violence is now a trending topic that is being heard throughout the country. Lawrence Sherman and Richard Berk conducted a domestic violence experiment in Minneapolis. In April of 1984 this experiment came out in the American Sociological Review, Volume 49, Issue 2.

The Findings

Sherman and Berk mention that a police foundation study stated that the police had intervened at least once in the last two years of eighty five percent of cases (p.263). The study went on to mention that police presence was required five or more times in fifty-four percent of the spousal homicides (Sherman and Berk, p.263). However, it is important to mention that based on the data they had, it could not be determined if less or more arrests would help decrease the homicide rates. According to the American Sociological Review this experiment took place for eighteen months in the Minneapolis police. It was stated that the experiment started on March 17, 1981 and lasted until August 1, 1982. The two precincts with the highest reports of domestic violence were chosen. Arrest, having the suspect leave, and mediation were one of the three strategies that the officers were suppose to use when responding to a domestic violence dispute. The interventions were assigned

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