This project was an 18-month long research-practitioner
partnership to conduct a process evaluation of the State College
Police Department's implementation of a grant to encourage arrest
policies for domestic violence. The general goals of the process
evaluation were to assess how and to what extent the State College
Police Department's proposed activities were implemented as planned,
based on the rationale that such activities would enhance the
potential for increasing victim safety and perpetrator accountability
systemically. As part of the grant, the police department sought to
improve case tracking and services to victims by developing new
specialized positions for domestic violence, including: (1) a domestic
violence arrest coordinator from within the State College Police
Department who was responsible for monitoring case outcomes through
the courts and updating domestic violence policies and training (Part
1, Victim Tracking Data from Domestic Violence Coordinator), (2) a
victims service attorney from Legal Services who was responsible for
handling civil law issues for domestic violence victims, including
support, child custody, employment, financial, consumer, public
benefits, and housing issues (Part 2, Victim Tracking Data From Victim
Services Attorney), and (3) an intensive domestic violence probation
officer from the Centre County Probation and Parole Department who was
responsible for providing close supervision and follow-up of batterers
(Part 3, Offender Tracking Data). Researchers worked with
practitioners to develop databases suitable for monitoring service
provision by the three newly-created positions for domestic violence
cases. Major categories of data collected on the victim tracking form
(Parts 1 and 2) included location of initial contact, type of initial
contact, referral source, reason for initial contact,
service/consultation provided at initial contact, meetings, and
referrals out. Types of services provided include reporting abuse,
filing a Protection from Abuse order, legal representation, and
assistance with court procedures. Major categories of data collected
on the offender tracking form (Part 3) included location of initial
contact, type of initial contact, referral source, reason for initial
contact, service/consultation provided, charges, sentence received,
relationship between the victim and perpetrator, marital status,
children in the home, referrals out, presentencing investigation
completed, prior criminal history, and reason for termination. Types
of services provided include pre-sentence investigation, placement on
supervision, and assessment and evaluation. In addition to developing
these new positions, the police department also sought to improve how
officers handled domestic violence cases through a two-day training
program. The evaluation conducted pre- and post-training assessments
of all personnel training in 1999 and conducted follow-up surveys to
assess the long-term impact of training. For Part 4, Police Training
Survey Data, surveys were administered to law enforcement personnel
participating in a two-day domestic violence training program. Surveys
were administered both before and after the training program and
focused on knowledge about domestic violence policies and protocols,
attitudes and beliefs about domestic violence, and the background and
experience of the officers. Within six months after the training, the
same participants were contacted to complete a follow-up survey.
Variables in Part 4 measure how well officers knew domestic violence
arrest policies, their attitudes toward abused women and how to handle
domestic violence cases, and their opinions about
training. Demographic variables in Part 4 include age, sex, race,
education, and years in law enforcement.