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What's Going on Out There?: A Survey of Batterer Intervention Programs

NCJ Number
221044
Journal
Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma Volume: 15 Issue: 1 Dated: 2007 Pages: 59-74
Author(s)
Bruce Dalton
Date Published
2007
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This article reports on the findings of a national survey designed to determine the current state of batterer intervention programs (BIP) and the provision of batterer intervention services.
Abstract
The survey of 150 BIP directors found that 63 percent claimed their programs were autonomous. A small percentage (9.3 percent) reported being operated by a shelter. Many of the respondents reported that their agency provides other services besides batterer intervention. Thirty-nine of the respondents reported providing a variety of treatment tracks based on client screening criteria. The average program lasts a mean of 31.5 weeks. The most common source of income was client fees. The average cost per session was $31.30. Most programs had a mix of races among clients. Although most BIP directors do not collect data relevant to an evaluation of their program's effectiveness, most have an opinion about their clients' reoffending prospects that is more hopeful than findings presented in the research literature. The findings suggest the need for a formal national organization or process for disseminating information, training, and guidance to BIP directors. Such an organization could advocate for policies conducive to better support for BIP and research into effective interventions. Since there is no comprehensive national list of BIP and their directors, calls were made to the 50 States and the District of Columbia in order to inquire about data on BIP in their jurisdiction. Most had some agency that maintained a list of programs in the State. A total of 312 questionnaires were mailed out in the fall of 2002, and 150 completed questionnaires from 35 States were returned (response rate of 49 percent). A 44-item questionnaire was developed. It covered program characteristics, client characteristics, and service provision. 4 tables and 16 references