Citation

Lasley J. Policy Stud. J. 2003; 31(2): 187-207.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, Policy Studies Organization (USA), Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/1541-0072.00011

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between bail supervision and repeat domestic violence. Specifically, a fully randomized experimental design is used to determine if domestic violence suspects who are “intensively supervised” by bailbond agents during pretrial release are less likely than “regularly supervised” suspects to commit a subsequent domestic violence offense. Study results involving nearly 500 subjects over a 3-year period suggest that the random effects of bail supervision provide a statistically significant reduction in rearrest for domestic violence among suspects assigned to the experimental supervision condition. This finding lends support to Dunford's Sword of Damocles Hypothesis, which suggests that random risk is a more effective deterrent to domestic violence than formal arrest. In addition, subjects assigned to intensive supervision who were either employed or of a Mexican National race/ethnic background were less likely than any other class of subjects to be rearrested for a domestic violence offense. The latter finding lends support to Sherman, Smith, Schmidt, & Rogan (1992) “stakes-in-conformity” hypothesis, suggesting that community ties plays an additional deterrent role in reducing repeat domestic violence.