1. Breaching the Cycle of Violence with Intervention and Rehabilitation
Amber Layfield
Safelight | Summer 2016
The Victim-Offender Overlap
o Hidday et al. (2001) stated that among 311
mentally ill individuals, those who were
victimized were 76% more likely to display
violent behavior than those who were not.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy approaches violence as a learned behavior;
thus, the cognitions that produce it can be offset through promotion and
reinforcement of non-violent, prosocial alternative cognitions.
The Duluth Model challenges violent behavioral roles by promoting and
The Cycle of Violence
Intervention Program Structures
Overview of Domestic Violence
Community Prevention Strategies
Domestic Violence is one partner’s use of physical,
psychological and sexual attacks, and emotional, social and
economic restriction, to exert power and control over another
partner or family member. This study aims to inform on
influential theories and risk factors of domestic violence, and
how offender-focused coordinated community responses and
violence intervention/batterer rehabilitation programs are
effective means to breaching the cycle of violence.
o NCADV (2015) reports that in one year
o 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men will be victims of
physical violence by an intimate partner.
o Over 48% of men and women will be victims of
psychological abuse by their partner or family
member.
o In 2013 North Carolina saw 108 homicides that were a
result of domestic violence.
o In 2014 1, 678 victims were assisted by local domestic
Offender-Focused Model proposes that by analyzing abusers’ criminal history and the
opportunities those offenses presented to them, the efforts of deterrence, community
standards, outreach and support programs can be adequately focused, and the
opportunity for offenders to learn right or wrong lessons from other offenders
experiences can be avoided.
o “C” Level offenders: 1st IPV charge, deterrent message delivered
o “B” Level offenders: 2nd IPV charge or protective order violation, framing
for intervention begins, given details on sentences for any future offenses
o “A” Level offenders: most violent repeat offenders, selected for immediate
prosecution and any available legal sanctions
Coordinated Community Response Teams are made up of cooperating community
agencies and service providers that manage cases of victims and monitor offenders, and
host prevention, awareness, and educational events.
o Deterrence-Based Prosecution: focuses on the
importance of offender accountability to prevent future
violence, and does not take into victim’s input into
consideration.
o Therapeutic Jurisprudence: considers future
ramifications for individuals, relationships, and society
long after a person’s contact with the criminal justice
system has ceased.
o Domestic Violence Courts: specialized court system that
aims to reduce recidivism, hold offenders accountable,
and improve getting victims, batterers, and their families
in touch with services for support and recovery
o Diversion sentences are granted to
defendants who plead guilty. They may be
sanctioned to various rehabilitation and
intervention programs, as well as any
probation terms deemed necessary.
o Biological Theory: when children are experience a
traumatic event, there are certain changes in their
brain development and functioning that influence
violent behavior later in life.
o Individual Psychopathology Theory: exposure to
violence early in life causes dysfunctional personality
structures.
o Couples and Family Interactions Theory:
understanding distorted family dynamics is essential
to understand an individual’s violent behavior.
o Social Learning and Developmental Theory: families
and the broader culture shape, reinforce, and even
commend an individual’s role in a violent
relationship.
o Societal Structure Theory: domestic violence
reflects a power imbalance in society, where men
use physical, economic, and political means to exert
dominance over women and children.
violent behavior than those who were not.
o Fiegleman et al. (2000) presents that 74% of
intimate partner violence perpetrators reported
witnessing a violent episode and experiencing
personal victimization in their life.
The Duluth Model challenges violent behavioral roles by promoting and
reinforcing egalitarian relationship ideals, holding offenders accountable
and requiring communities to intervene when violence arises.
Theories of Underlying Causes
o In 2014 1, 678 victims were assisted by local domestic
violence shelters in North Carolina.
o Henderson County served 800 of those victims.
The Justice Systems Response
The ‘Safelight Plea’ is a diversion sentence where
offenders plead guilty and are sanctioned to
attended the Family Violence Intervention Program
for 26 weeks.
Emerge Abuser Education teaches prosocial
engagement skills and accountability, and educates
members on the culture of masculinity and personal
experience/generational dysfunction so they may
have a deeper and wider understanding of the
pervasiveness of violence.
Safelight and Henderson County