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Second responder programs are based on the notions that family violence often recurs, and that victims are especially likely to be receptive to crime prevention opportunities immediately following victimization. Second responder initiatives usually involve a follow-up visit from a police officer and victim advocate after the initial police response to the family violence complaint. Victims are provided with information about services and legal options, and if perpetrators are present they are warned about the consequences of continued violent behavior.
Review findings
This review of 10 rigorous evaluations of second responder programs in the United States found that households that received a follow-up visit were about 1¼ times more likely to report new abuse to the police than those that did not. However, different analytic strategies indicated a smaller effect. Overall, the second response intervention did not have an impact on repeated abuse as reported on victim surveys. Half of the studies reviewed were conducted in the past two years, indicating increased research concern about this topic.
Increased reporting, not increased abuse
The meta-analysis indicated that the second response intervention slightly increased the likelihood that a household would report another family violence incident to the police. Rather than indicating a negative effect of the program, this finding, taken together with victim surveys, suggests that victims who receive the follow-up visit were more willing to report further incidents, possibly as a result of greater confidence in the police.
This article is based on the systematic review (access the full text version):
Davis, RC, Weisburd, D, Taylor, B: Effects of Second Responder Programs on Repeat Incidents of Family Abuse