This article reports the findings of an exploratory study of the experiences of 51 battered women in four spouse abuse shelters in a Florida
county with a preferred arrest policy. Despite this policy, which encourages the police to arrest spouse abusers, the police arrested only
12 abusers, although 36 women wanted their abusers to be arrested.
Moreover, the police provided information about injunctions for the
protection and spouse abuse shelters in only 22 cases. Possible reasons for these findings and implications for social work practice are
presented.
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