Perceptions of program effectiveness: an evaluation of a domestic violence treatment program
No Thumbnail Available
Authors
Meeting name
Sponsors
Date
Journal Title
Format
Thesis
Subject
Abstract
Domestic violence intervention was created to essentially to stop intimate partner violence through cognitive behavioral therapy. One of the programs that has been at the forefront of domestic violence prevention is the Duluth Model. The purpose of this study was to examine the perspectives of court-ordered domestic violence offenders while they were attending a domestic violence intervention program at a Midwestern privately-owned probation agency. Additionally, the administrators of the program were interviewed to gain insight into the facilitation of the Duluth Model. A semi-structured interview was used to gather the participants' perceptions of the program. This approach revealed candid viewpoints on the strengths and weaknesses of the program, curriculum, and the probation agency. Offender participants believed that the facilitators were generally effective, although at times they failed to control the class discussions. Administrator participants viewed the program as an effective tool for teaching non-violent behavior, but only if the offenders are willing to learn and engage in the course. Both offenders and administrators recognized that the business aspect of the privately-owned probation agency limited how resourceful the company could be to its clients. The data generally indicated that the program was helping the offenders change their behavior, but some of the interviews revealed otherwise. Although some offenders admitted they were wrong, and spoke about how they were actively using the lessons they learned from the Duluth Model, they still continued to justify their actions. This suggests that some offenders were not motivated to change which demonstrates the need to improve offender motivation in order to improve the effectiveness of the program. More specific strengths and weaknesses of the program are discussed, and policy implications are offered.
Table of Contents
Introduction -- Review of literature -- Methodology -- Results -- Discussion -- Appendix A. Offender interview guide -- Appendix B. Administrator interview guide -- Appendix C. Administrator and offender consent forms -- Appendix D. Coding sheet -- Appendix E. Offender coding notes -- Appendix F. Administrator coding notes
DOI
PubMed ID
Degree
M.S.