Coordinated Community Responses to Domestic Violence: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Abstract

Coordinated community responses (CCRs) are a commonly used intervention in the field of domestic violence (DV), yet research findings on CCRs to DV have been inconsistent. The aim of this study was to examine the current state of CCRs to DV, with a specific focus on those responses that involve law enforcement officers as key players. A systematic review of 31 databases resulted in 18 peer-reviewed manuscripts for inclusion in this study. Manuscripts were included if they were written in English and published in 1999 or later; focused specifically on DV and criminal justice and/or community responses; research outcomes were specific to cases, victims, or offenders; the intervention was clearly described and evaluated using an experimental or quasi-experimental design; and was implemented in the United States. Findings suggest that there is a great deal of variability across CCR studies involving law enforcement officers with regard to (a) whether studies used the term “coordinated community response” to describe the intervention being evaluated, (b) the types of cases included, (c) the nature of the CCR being evaluated, (d) the outcomes that were examined, and (e) how these outcomes were operationalized. These variations make it difficult for scholars to draw broader conclusions about the effectiveness of CCR interventions. Future research should include the identification of core outcomes that can be used across studies to allow for comparison studies and meta-analyses. There is also a need for studies to focus on identifying which components of CCR interventions are most critical to producing positive outcomes.

Motivations for Police Support of Domestic Violence Response Team Implementation With Advocates

“…They are often implemented at the municipality level in an attempt to bring together relevant localized organizations with the goal of closing gaps in services (Uchida et al, 2001), but they may also function at the county level or in other geographic regions depending on community needs and available resources. Although the diverse CCR models that exist generally share similar goals, the level of coordination and communication utilized exist on a spectrum (Johnson & Stylianou, 2020). The most traditional CCR models involve high levels of both coordination and communication across a range of organizations and may even colocate services to create a “one-stop shop” for victims (Johnson & Stylianou, 2020).…”

“…Although the diverse CCR models that exist generally share similar goals, the level of coordination and communication utilized exist on a spectrum (Johnson & Stylianou, 2020). The most traditional CCR models involve high levels of both coordination and communication across a range of organizations and may even colocate services to create a “one-stop shop” for victims (Johnson & Stylianou, 2020). However, other communities opt to use interagency partnerships to provide services to victims of domestic violence.…”

“…Crisis theory suggests that “there is a ‘window of opportunity’ during the first few hours or days after a crime during which victims feel highly vulnerable and are therefore willing to consider serious behavioral and lifestyle changes and interventions” (Davis et al, 2008, p. 6). This model, which is sometimes called a “crisis team,” “response team,” or “second responder program,” most often involves follow-up by either the domestic violence advocate or both the police officer and advocate together (Johnson & Stylianou, 2020). Most often, the domestic violence advocate is an employee or a volunteer of the local domestic violence organization.…”

“…Most often, the domestic violence advocate is an employee or a volunteer of the local domestic violence organization. Follow-up can occur either in-person or by phone; when occurring in-person, the intervention can be implemented at the scene, immediately following the incident at the police department, or within the first few days following the incident (Johnson & Stylianou, 2020). The partnership adds a social service component to the traditional law enforcement response to domestic violence, which has been criticized for being reactive rather than proactive (Whetstone, 2001).…”

“…One challenge to comparing findings across studies is that the study outcomes vary widely. Even in instances where the outcomes are similar, the constructs are often operationalized differently (Johnson & Stylianou, 2020). The data sources for these studies also vary, with some relying on administrative data from the criminal justice system for measuring outcomes and others collecting data directly from victims or offenders.…”