Intimate partner violence: predictors of recidivism in a sample of arrestees

This article seeks to identify the variables that predict intimate partner violence recidivism. Neither prosecutorial actions, such as case rejection or subsequent dismissal, nor judicial imposition of jail terms or placement in a batterer treatment program demonstrated predictive value. Extralegal variables associated with the defendant, such as cohabitation status, marital status, gender, employment, and substance use at the time of the incident, all failed to attain significance. Victim support for arrest and prosecution were also unrelated to revictimization. Conversely, use of a weapon, the offender's prior arrest for any offense, and the presence of a protective order at the time of the precipitating incident all predicted rearrest for intimate violence within an 18-month follow-up period. Policy implications are discussed.