Treatment recommendations for misdemeanor offenders in batterer intervention programs

Background: The power and control model is the basis for treatment of misdemeanor domestic violence offenders. There is, however, no standard treatment length of individuals in batterer intervention programs (BIP), nor standard criteria on who should be placed in more intensive programs. In Hillsborough County, Florida, the program is divided up by levels II and III with level III being a more extensive program. Currently, offenders are evaluated for psychological and psychosocial problems before they can be enrolled in a level III treatment which can be longer in length and offer additional services than the level II programs. Methods: A review of studies (1990 - 2010) was conducted using EBSCOhost to identify factors that would assist in determining which perpetrators of domestic violence should be directly placed into more extensive BIPs. Results: Two factors were consistently found in the literature that determined the most severe risk to the victim: if the offender has previously completed a BIP and violence has increased since program completion and/ or a violent criminal history. For more severe cases of violence, treatments should target offense specific cognitive behavioral issues, such as coping skills. Conclusions: Based on the finding from the review, program guidelines were updated to reflect that in chronic, violent cases of domestic violence it is recommended that perpetrators be automatically enrolled in a more intensive BIP. These programs require a longer length of treatment more specifically addressing the persistent nature of the violence.