Underclass Men in Batterer Intervention Programs: Disorders and Disparities

Abstract

The criminal justice system has come to rely on a batterer intervention program (BIP) in sentences for domestic violence offenders, but BIPs suffer from a reputation problem, with both completion and reoffense rates hovering around 50%. The role of social class in battering and in legally mandated BIPs, although indirectly referenced in most studies, is rarely examined as an explanatory factor. This article discusses the results of a study of 540 men arrested for domestic violence and sentenced to a BIP. Results suggest that social class is a significant predictor of program completion, with program completion for those categorized as overclass being twice those categorized as underclass. The authors discuss implications for community and criminal justice response to domestic violence.

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