Domestic Violence - Policy and Analysis III

Domestic violence and elder abuse are two major crimes in the United States that occur with policy conflicts and are in relation to two basic models known as the conflict and crime model, consensus and due process model. In this paper, two policies will be analyzed and addressed, describing both policies of domestic violence and elder abuse, descriptions of the conflict and crime control model and the consensus and due process model, what role law enforcement, prosecutors, courts, and corrections play in the policies. My personal opinion on each policy and how we can measure the effectiveness of each policy will also be addressed. These policies were created to aid officials in keeping society balanced. There are various opinions to this question and it is the responsibility our federal officials, state, and local officials and our judicial branches to make positive and effective changes to the polices.

Policy I: Domestic Violence

According to Sharmila Lawrence, domestic violence holds the highest rating in statistics across the United States, ranging grouping of the victims to low-income, homeless, and middle-class. Throughout the United States there are multiple policies created to aid domestic violence victims. For example, Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) was created to protect domestic violence victims in 1996. This act of policy was designed to aid welfare legislation in replacing (AFDC) Aid to Families with Dependent Children with the program (TANF), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. According to Lawrence, these programs primarily focus on correlates of domestic violence, women who receive state assistance, child wellbeing, and domestic violence among married couples. According to statistics, domestic violence has a 50% percent rating on the welfare population, and a 22% percent rating on the general population. The Cal Works policy states that approximately 80% percent of women in California have been victims of domestic violence and those statistics are directly from women who have participated in domestic violence programs throughout the state of California. (Lawrence, 2002)

The policy also examines the effect domestic violence has on children. According to Lawrence, there are approximately 3.3 million and 10 million children exposed to domestic violence in the United States According to the policy, this type of abuse occurs by observing, listening, and subject physically to the abuse. According to policy, domestic violence in children and child maltreatment only often occur in the same instance. Child Protective Services (CPS) is a policy through the state is created to aid in the protection and well-being of children against abuse and domestic violence. (Lawrence, 2002)

According to Lawrence, there are seven (7) policy implications. These policy implications consist of, early disclosure of abuse should be recommended,