Doctoral Dissertation Research: A Study of Recidivism in a Mandatory Prosecution Jusisdiction

该项目审查起诉轻罪家庭暴力，同时为受害者提供咨询和宣传服务，是否比单独起诉对累犯具有更大的威慑作用。几个假设将进行测试，其中最关键的是是否有随后减少亲密暴力和增加自尊，赋权，和生活质量时，受害者接受咨询和宣传服务金斯县（纽约）地区检察官办公室的社会工作者在家庭暴力事件和整个刑事案件。更具体地说，该项目将比较居住在一个地理区域的受害者，他们接受“检察官加咨询和辩护”的条件，而居住在第二个地区的受害者则接受“仅检察官”的条件。将在犯罪人被捕后立即对受试者进行评估，并在整个刑事案件期间每隔3个月对受试者进行评估，并在案件解决后总共进行12个月的评估。这项研究提供了一个独特的机会，在布鲁克林主要是非洲裔美国人和加勒比社区进行实地实验，以评估咨询和宣传服务在减少家庭暴力累犯方面的有效性。

This project examines whether prosecution of misdemeanor domestic violence, accompanied by counseling and advocacy services for its victims, has a greater deterrent effect on recidivism than prosecution alone. Several hypotheses will be tested, the most critical of which is whether there is a subsequent decrease in intimate violence and an increase in self esteem, empowerment, and quality of life when victims receive counseling and advocacy services from Kings County (New York) District Attorney's Office social workers following a domestic violence incident and throughout the criminal case. More specifically, the project will compare victims residing in one geographic area, who receive a "Prosecutor Plus Counseling and Advocacy" condition, with closely matched victims in a second area who receive a "Prosecutor Only" condition. The subjects will be evaluated immediately following the perpetrator's arrest and at 3-month intervals throughout the duration of the criminal case and following its resolution for a total of 12 months. The study provides a unique opportunity to conduct a field experiment in Brooklyn's predominantly African-American and Caribbean community to evaluate the effectiveness of counseling and advocacy services in reducing domestic violence recidivism.