Domestic Violence and Repeat Victimization

Abstract

This paper seeks to establish domestic violence as the most prevalent repeated, criminal offence of our time. The author makes use of his experience in introducing the United Kingdom's first ever Repeat Victimiaztion Methodology to the crime of domestic violence, implemented in Killingbeck Division, Leeds. He seeks to show that early structured intervention does reduce repeated attendances and that significant achievements can be made with little or no extra resources. The paper demonstrates, by reference to a murder case study, the tragic consequences of agencies' failure to share information. A number of policy recommendations are made for consideration by governments, many of which are now being implemented in the United Kingdom.