In the early 1990s policy changes were introduced in the UK in an attempt to increase arrest rates in domestic violence cases. This book examines the criminal justice response to this prevalent form of violence in the light of these changes. In particular, the book discusses the needs and expectations of victims, and how their choices impact on decisions made by police and prosecutors.

• 1: Legal Rules, Policies and Police Practices


• 2: Conceptual and Methodological Issues


• 3: The Control Room: the first stage in the decision-making process


• 4: The Cultural and Structural Determinants of Police Decision-Making


• 5: The Situational Determinants of Police Decision-Making


• 6: Understanding Prosecution Decisions


• 7: In the Victim's Interest?


• 8: Interrogating the Role of the Victim


• Bibliography


• Index

Carolyn Hoyle is a lecturer in criminology at the University of Oxford.