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Mediation Verses Arrest Approaches to Domestic Assault: Policy Implications for Addressing Domestic Abuse Among Under-Educated and Jobless Offenders

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Abstract

Mediation as a response to domestic abuse would seem a promising direction in curbing domestic battering among offenders with a low stake in conformity. This study compares the effects of mediation verses arrest on two general types of domestic abusers; one category with a high school education or above and is presently employed, while the other category comprising individuals with less than a high school education and are currently unemployed. Pooled data from three of the original group of six Minneapolis Domestic Violence Project cities are used in this study. The findings show unemployed Blacks with less than a high school education who were mediated were significantly less likely to have re-offended within six months than unemployed non-Blacks similarly mediated with less than a high school education. Also, unemployed Blacks with less than a high school education not mediated were significantly more likely to re-offend than unemployed non-Blacks with less than a high school education and not mediated. Finally, among those in the sample unemployed with less than a high school education and mediated were significantly less likely to re-offend compared to those not mediated. The findings are consistent with seeing mediation as a viable police strategy in curbing domestic abuse among jobless and undereducated offenders.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology and Sociology, Georgia Southwestern State University, 800 GSW State University Drive, Americus, GA, 31709-4379, USA

    Donald L. Yates

  2. School of Social Work, University of Texas at Arlington, Box 19129, 211 South Cooper Street, Arlington, TX, 76019, USA

    Vijayan K. Pillai

  3. Department of Criminal Justice, Benton 201 B, 1700 SW College Avenue, Topeka, KS 66621, USA

    Phyllis E. Berry

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  1. Donald L. Yates
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  2. Vijayan K. Pillai
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  3. Phyllis E. Berry
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Correspondence to Donald L. Yates.

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Yates, D.L., Pillai, V.K. & Berry, P.E. Mediation Verses Arrest Approaches to Domestic Assault: Policy Implications for Addressing Domestic Abuse Among Under-Educated and Jobless Offenders. Am J Crim Just 33, 282–296 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12103-008-9038-y

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