For the purposes of this chapter, domestic violence is viewed in terms of applicable law and criminal sanctions, such as assault, battery, homicide, weapon use, harassment, and reckless endangerment. Following an introductory review of the nature and extent of domestic violence, a section discusses the role of law enforcement in responding to victims of domestic violence. Next, a theoretical overview and considerations are provided. A major section of the chapter discusses the characteristics and dynamics of perpetrators of domestic violence, followed by a section on the characteristics and dynamics of victims/survivors. An overview of the crisis intervention process addresses information gathering, control-direction, assessment, and referral and disposition. The chapter concludes that domestic violence is a dangerous crime that consumes resources and destroys individuals, families, and communities. Although individual perpetrators and survivors/victims come from every socioeconomic, racial, ethnic, and mental health category, and may, therefore, have individual problems or behavioral disorders, domestic violence is a power- based control mechanism, founded upon and perpetuated by societal permission and conditioning. As a result, there are many identifiable similarities in perpetrators, survivors/victims, and patterns of abuse. The emphasis of the criminal justice system has shifted from ensuring a man's right to use violence to treating the perpetrator like other criminals, enforcing the survivor's rights to police action, opening her legal options, and protecting her and her children from further harm. Chapter questions, simulated exercises, and 97 references