Domestic Violence Proseminar in Criminal Justice Research Paper

PROSEMINAR IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE Proseminar in Criminal JusticeIntroductionFrom the onset, it would be prudent to note that in comparison to many other developed countries, the United States happens to have a rather high crime rate. A review of available data specifically from the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) indicates that the most common crimes in the U.S. happen to be larceny/theft, burglary, and aggravated assault. Others are robbery, motor vehicle theft and rape. Recent data indicates that over the past few years, there have been a surge in some specific kinds of crimes within the country. This is more so the case when it comes to robbery, murder, domestic violence, etc. This text will concern itself with domestic violence. In so doing, it will not only assess the nature of this particular concern, but also propose an approach that could be deployed in an attempt to reign in the same. More specifically, in seeking to address this particular concern, a systematic process-like approach will be embraced.The ProblemPeterman et al. and van Gelder et al. (as cited in Usher, Bhullar, Durkin, Gyamfi and Jackson, 2020) define domestic violence as threatening or other violent behaviors within families that may be physical, sexual, psychological, or economic, and can include child abuse and intimate partner violence (112). Over the last two years, there have been reports of increased domestic violence across the country. Some have linked the said surge in domestic violence cases to the COVID-19 pandemic. For instance, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration SAMHSA (2020) indicates that there are a wide range of issues that could have led to an increase in family violence during the present COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the factors that have been cited by SAMHSA (2020) are inclusive of, but they are not limited to; anxiety caused by the government-initiated measures (i.e. the lockdown), disconnection from the routine social support systems, and major economic devastation. To a large extent, SAMHSA (2020) indicates that some of the highlighted factors have stimulated family violence in instances where it existed as well as in those where it did not. It would, however, be prudent to note that there are a wide range of other risk factors that have in the past been identified for domestic violence. For instance, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC (2021), the said factors could be inclusive of, but they are not limited to; emotional/physical abuse history during childhood, insecurity and emotional dependence, drug abuse, social isolation, borderline personality disorder-associated traits, conduit problems as well as antisocial personality traits, depression and anxiety, low education, etc.Domestic violence impacts not only its victims, but also other individuals and the society at large. For instance, Goodmark (2018) indicates that domestic violence victims tend to exhibit a wide range of mental health problems, including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety. This is in addition to the physical injuries they could acquire following confrontation/abuse. The impact of domestic violence on a persons mental as well as physical wellbeing could be long-term. In addition to the direct victims, domestic violence could also have a negative impact on others as well, i.e. children, other family members, caregivers, etc. Persons who witness instances of domestic violence could present with issues similar to those of first-hand victims of the said violence. This is more so the case when it comes to reduced quality of life and mental distress (which could trigger post-traumatic stress disorder). In as far as the society, at large, is concerned, Goodmark (2018) indicates that victims of…

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…a shared goal bringing together multiple stakeholders in efforts to reduce domestic violence. For this reason, there is need of having in place a strategic approach to successful implementation of the SMA. The first step in the implementation efforts would be the development of a clear definition of the mandate of the initiative. This is essentially the objective that this particular initiative intends to accomplish i.e. decrease in rates of domestic violence in the United States. Secondly, there would also be need to ensure that the various risks and challenges that could be encountered along the way are mapped out. The said risks and challenges could be inclusive of resource constraints and lack of goodwill among keys stakeholders. Next would be the scheduling of the various milestones of this initiative. These would come in handy in seeking to monitor progress. The last step would in this case be coordinating with all stakeholders to ensure that each plays their rightful role.5. Generation of Desired ResultsSuccess will in this case be defined in two main ways;i. In terms of reduced rates of domestic violenceii. In terms of reduced repeat offences6. ReevaluationThere will be need to reevaluate the initiative with an intention of determining whether everything is going according to plan and whether there may be need to make adaptations. In this case, deviations from the intended outcomes, as hightailed above, can be identified and corrective efforts instituted.ConclusionThis text has established the need to address the soaring domestic violence cases across the United States. The need was identified on the basis of data indicating that the current COVID-19 pandemic has worsened an already bad situation. The multi-pronged solution proposed in this case, which has been christened Structured Multipronged Approach (SMA), would need the cooperation of diverse stakeholders for successful implementation. Successful implementation…