Which study tested different police responses to domestic violence and found arrest as the most effective deterrent?

Which study tested different police responses to domestic violence and found arrest as the most effective deterrent?

• A. Minneapolis Domestic Violence Experiment
• B. Kansas City Prevention Patrol Experiment
• C. Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy
• D. Oklahoma City Bombing study

Answer: (A)

Deterrence through police response is what this item tests. In the Minneapolis Domestic Violence Experiment, cases involving domestic assaults were randomly assigned to different immediate police responses to see which one best reduces future violence. The finding was that arrest, as a formal sanction, acted as the strongest deterrent compared with non-arrest approaches like separation, mediation, or referrals to services. In other words, victims and communities saw fewer subsequent incidents and repeats of violence in the months after an arrest than after calmer responses, especially for the most serious cases. This evidence supports using arrest as a preventive tool in domestic violence policing because it sends a clear signal that abusive behavior will face formal consequences, which can discourage future offenses. Other studies mentioned address different topics—patrol intensity, broad community policing strategies, or unrelated events—so they don’t test the specific question of which police response most effectively deters domestic violence.

Deterrence through police response is what this item tests. In the Minneapolis Domestic Violence Experiment, cases involving domestic assaults were randomly assigned to different immediate police responses to see which one best reduces future violence. The finding was that arrest, as a formal sanction, acted as the strongest deterrent compared with non-arrest approaches like separation, mediation, or referrals to services. In other words, victims and communities saw fewer subsequent incidents and repeats of violence in the months after an arrest than after calmer responses, especially for the most serious cases. This evidence supports using arrest as a preventive tool in domestic violence policing because it sends a clear signal that abusive behavior will face formal consequences, which can discourage future offenses. Other studies mentioned address different topics—patrol intensity, broad community policing strategies, or unrelated events—so they don’t test the specific question of which police response most effectively deters domestic violence.