Predicting revictimization and recidivism in domestic violence
Both immediate circumstances and the characteristics of protagonists have an effect on domestic violence. However, few studies have undertaken simultaneous analysis of the effects of immediate circumstances and victim and perpetrator characteristics on the sequence of domestic violence. The objective of this study is to better understand how to predict revictimization and recidivism. Results are based on 52,149 violent incidents involving current or former intimate partners that were recorded by police officers for a large city in the province of Quebec between 2000 and 2009. Our results show the importance of how the violence developed, victimization experiences, and criminal background in explaining recidivism in domestic violence. This study may help guide intervention at several levels and improve the effectiveness of preventive measures by making it possible, for example, to identify easily observable indicators that should lead to intervention in order to make a difference in the course of events.