DOI: 10.3886/icpsr04543.v1
title: Longitudinal Study of a Cohort of Batterers Arraigned in a Massachusetts District Court, 1995-2004
title: Version 1

description: This longitudinal study, a follow-up to RESPONSE TO
 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN THE QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS DISTRICT COURT,
 1995-1997 (ICPSR 3076), examined the relationship between the actions
 of a district court in eastern Massachusetts and a cohort of men
 arrested for domestic abuse between February 1995 and March
 1996. Using criminal history records, this study followed the criminal
 behavior of 342 men until December 2004. Some of the variables in Part
 1, Arrest Data, include the dates of arrests, dispositions, and
 restraining orders issued, the arrest charge, disposition of the case,
 and the relationship between the offender and the victim. In Part 2,
 Recidivism Data, variables include the age at first arrest, date of
 arrest and time to subsequent arrests, arrest charge, length of
criminal career, and whether the offender is a recidivist.
description: The purpose of this study was to reflect on the
 effects of the operation of a model judicial domestic violence program
 on the criminal desistance of the men in the cohort. The study
 describes the offenders, their domestic violence and other criminal
offenses and the response of the Court.
description: This longitudinal study, a follow-up to RESPONSE
 TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN THE QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS DISTRICT COURT,
 1995-1997 (ICPSR 3076), examined the relationship between a proactive
 judicial domestic violence program and the desistance of the criminal
 activities of a cohort of men arrested for domestic violence. An
 eastern Massachusetts district court administered the domestic
 violence program. The study followed the criminal behavior of 342 men
 that were originally arrested for domestic violence within the court's
 jurisdiction between February 1995 and March 1996. Using criminal
 history records, this study followed the criminal behavior of the
 cohort until December 2004. First, researchers accessed the state's
 criminal history file, which contains a complete record of all
 Massachusetts court arraignments by charge. Consequently, researchers
 were able to track all defendant arrests that resulted in court
 arraignments through 2004. The researchers also accessed individual
 court criminal and civil records manually maintained by court
 clerk-magistrates. These records provide victim and defendant
information and copies of issued restraining orders.
description: Part 1, Arrest Data, variables include the dates of
 arrests, dispositions, and restraining orders issued, the arrest
 charge, disposition of the case, and time between the arrests. Part 1
 also includes variables on the number of previous crimes such as
 property crimes, alcohol or drug crimes, disorderly conduct, sex
 crimes, and motor vehicle crimes, as well as the number of times the
 offender has been on probation and the number of terms in a county
 correctional facility. Other variables include offender age at study
 arrest, offender date of birth, relationship of the offender to the
 victim, and if the victim in subsequent arrests was the same as the
 initial arrest victim. Part 2, Recidivism Data, variables include the
 relationship between the offender and victim, age at first arrest, age
 at study arrest, if the offender has a concurrent domestic violence
 case pending, date of arrest, and time to subsequent arrests. Part 2
 also includes variables on the arrest charge (domestic violence or
 other), length of criminal career, and if the offender is a domestic
violence recidivist or other recidivist.
description: None
description: Response Rates: Not applicable
description: Presence of Common Scales: None
description: The study includes 342 men arrested for domestic violence
 within the jurisdiction of an eastern Massachusetts district court
between February 1995 and March 1996.
description: Datasets: 
DS0: Study-Level Files
DS1: Arrest Data
DS2: Recidivism Data
description: All persons arrested for domestic violence within the
 jurisdiction of an eastern Massachusetts district court between
February 1995 and March 1996. Smallest Geographic Unit: None
description: record abstracts