DOI: 10.3886/icpsr09982
title: Evaluating Alternative Police Responses to Spouse Assault in Colorado Springs: an Enhanced Replication of the Minneapolis Experiment, 1987-1989
title: Archival Version

description: The purpose of this study was to replicate an experiment in Minneapolis (MINNEAPOLIS INTERVENTION PROJECT, 1986-1987 [ICPSR 9808]) testing alternative police response to cases of spouse assault, using a larger number of subjects and a more complex research design. The study focused on how police response affected subsequent incidents of spouse assault. Police responses studied included arrest, issuing emergency protection orders, referring the suspect to counseling, separating the suspect and the victim, and restoring order only (no specific action). Data were obtained through initial incident reports, counseling information, and personal interviews. Follow-up interviews were conducted at three- and six-month periods, and recidivists were identified through police and court record checks. Variables from initial incident reports include number of charges, date, location, and disposition of charges, weapon(s) used, victim injuries, medical attention received, behavior towards police, victim and suspect comments, and demographic information such as race, sex, relationship to victim/offender, age, and past victim/offender history. Data collected from counseling forms provide information on demographic characteristics of the suspect, type of counseling, topics covered in counseling, suspect's level of participation, and therapist comments. Court records investigate victim and suspect criminal histories, including descriptions of charges and their disposition, conditions of pretrial release, and the victim's contact with pretrial services. Other variables included in follow-up checks focus on criminal and offense history of the suspect. The data collection includes separate data files for the original, second, and final versions of some of the forms that were used.
description: This study employed a factorial design whereby the police response to spouse assault acted as the independent variable. Models of domestic violence were developed using two competing theories: Victim Empowerment and Specific Deterrence. When an officer arrived at the scene of a domestic violence incident, a random treatment was assigned via radio dispatch. Officers had final authority over assignment, and could assign another treatment at their own discretion. Treatments included arresting the suspect, issuing an emergency protection order, referring the suspect to counseling, separating the suspect and the victim, and restoring order only (no specific action). A unique four-digit project ID number was assigned to each subject. It was possible for an individual to appear several times: as a victim in one case and a suspect in another -- as a victim or suspect in several cases with different partners -- or as a repeat case that was not properly screened. Follow-up interviews were conducted with victims at three- and six-month periods. Recidivists were identified through extensive police and court record checks, and victim empowerment data were collected with a validated survey instrument.
description: Variables from initial incident reports include number of charges, date, location, and disposition of charges, victim and suspect demographics, weapon(s) used, victim injuries, medical attention received, behavior towards police, and victim and suspect comments. Data collected from counseling forms provide information on suspect demographics, type of counseling, topics covered in counseling, suspect's level of participation, and therapist comments. Court records investigate victim and suspect criminal histories, including descriptions of charges and their disposition, conditions of pretrial release, and the victim's contact with pretrial services. Other variables included in follow-up checks focus on criminal and offense history of the suspect.
description: Response Rates: Of the 1,150 cases in the project (excluding the repeat cases), 80 percent received an initial interview. Final interviews were completed on 1,079 (70 percent) of the 1,202 cases that received the randomly assigned treatment.
description: Presence of Common Scales: None
description: A random sampling method was used in the assignment of all five of the officer response alternatives. Officers had final authority over assignment, and could assign another treatment at their own discretion.
description: Datasets: DS0: Study-Level Files DS1: Initial Call Implementation Form Data DS2: Final Version of Suspect Counseling Form Data DS3: Second Version of Suspect Counseling Form Data DS4: Original Version of Suspect Counseling Form Data DS5: Original Version of Initial Victim Interview Data DS6: Second Version of Initial Victim Interview Data DS7: Final Version of Initial Victim Interview Data DS8: Original Version of Final Victim Interview Data DS9: Final Version of Final Victim Interview Data DS10: Initial Suspect Criminal History Check Data DS11: Initial Victim Criminal History Check Data DS12: Six-Month Suspect Criminal History Check Data DS13: Six-Month Victim Criminal History Check Data DS14: Initial Suspect Charge Check Data DS15: Initial Suspect Victimization Check Data DS16: Initial Victim Charge Check Data DS17: Initial Victim Victimization Check Data DS18: Six-Month Suspect Charge Check Data DS19: Six-Month Suspect Victimization Check Data DS20: Six-Month Victim Charge Check Data DS21: Six-Month Victim Victimization Check Data DS22: Final Version of Court Penetration Form Data DS23: Second Version of Court Penetration Form Data DS24: Original Version of Court Penetration Form Data DS25: Codebook for All Parts DS26: SAS Data Definition Statements for Initial Call Implementation Form Data DS27: SAS Data Definition Statements for Final Version of Suspect Counseling Form Data DS28: SAS Data Definition Statements for Second Version of Suspect Counseling Form Data DS29: SAS Data Definition Statements for Original Version of Suspect Counseling Form Data DS30: SAS Data Definition Statements for Original Version of Initial Victim Interview Data DS31: SAS Data Definition Statements for Second Version of Initial Victim Interview Data DS32: SAS Data Definition Statements for Final Version of Initial Victim Interview Data DS33: SAS Data Definition Statements for Original Version of Final Victim Interview Data DS34: SAS Data Definition Statements for Final Version of Final Victim Interview Data DS35: SAS Data Definition Statements for Initial Suspect Criminal History Check Data DS36: SAS Data Definition Statements for Initial Victim Criminal History Check Data DS37: SAS Data Definition Statements for Six-Month Suspect Criminal History Check Data DS38: SAS Data Definition Statements for Six-Month Victim Criminal History Check Data DS39: SAS Data Definition Statements for Check Data, Parts 14-21 DS40: SAS Data Definition Statements for Final Version of Court Penetration Form Data DS41: SAS Data Definition Statements for Second Version of Court Penetration Form Data DS42: SAS Data Definition Statements for Original Version of Court Penetration Form Data DS43: SPSS Data Definition Statements for Check Data, Parts 14-21 DS44: User Guide
description: All domestic violence calls made to the Colorado Springs Police Department between March 1987 and April 1989.
description: All variables over two columns wide may contain values of "-22", "-66", "-77", "-99", "X". These values may or may not be documented in the codebook. All alphanumeric variables over seven columns wide with these same values are not listed in the "MISSING VALUE RECODE" nor in the "MISSING VALUES" files.