Family Violence and Criminal Justice

This fourth edition examines the latest developments in the study of various forms of family violence over the life course. Using the life-course perspective as a guide, the author focuses on the historical context of family violence as well as the various forms of violence, their prevalence in specific stages of life, and responses by the criminal justice system and other agencies. The text scrutinizes the linkage among child abuse, partner violence, and elder abuse. The usefulness of the life-course approach lies in its potential effect on policy implications; research methods that recognize the importance of life stages, trajectories, and transitions; crime causation theories that can be enhanced by using the life-course lens; and violence targeting diverse populations, including minorities and LGBTQ populations. Real-life stories and cases illustrate family violence issues, and a new chapter on family violence among special populations, including the LGBTQ community and individuals with disabilities, adds to the breadth of coverage. This text is ideal for criminal justice and criminology undergraduates, and sociology programs with a criminal justice component, as well as for students of public health and social work. Online support material is available.

Leana A. Bouffard is a Professor and Chair in the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice at Iowa State University. She was previously the Director of the Crime Victims' Institute at Sam Houston State University. Her research interests include gender-based violence, especially the criminal justice response to domestic violence and sexual assault, consequences of victimization, and life course and developmental approaches to understanding offending. She earned her PhD (2001) and MA (1998) in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Maryland and her BS (1995) in Psychology from Duke University.

Chapter 1: Family Violence and the Life-Course Perspective Chapter 2: Research Methodology and the Study of Family Violence and the Life Course Chapter 3: Explaining Family Violence Chapter 4: Violence at the Beginning of the Life Course: Child Abuse and Neglect Chapter 5: Violence in Early Adulthood and Beyond: Violence Between Intimate Partners Chapter 6: Violence at the End of the Life Course: Elder Abuse and Neglect Chapter 7: Family Violence among Special Populations Chapter 8: The Police and Social Service Response to Family Violence Chapter 9: The Courts and Family Violence: Issues and Innovations Chapter 10: Corrections and Family Violence: Treatment and Punishment Issues Chapter 11: Family Violence over the Life Course and the Collaborative Response Chapter 12: Family Violence: A Look Back and a Look to the Future