Intimate partner violence in prisoners: Toward effective assessment and intervention

• Identifies significant issues in identifying domestic violence in prisoners.
• Offers specific recommendations for further research and service development.
• Identifies the need for improved systems of assessment.
• Calls for the development of treatment programs and integrated victim support.

This paper reviews the significant challenges that are involved in the development of services for perpetrators of intimate partner violence who are in prison. It is suggested that difficulties in accurately identifying intimate partner violence, reliably assessing risk of re-offense, and in identifying offending behavior programs that meet the specific needs of prisoners have limited the development of services in this area. As a result it is argued that unique and complex victim related issues that arise during incarceration and post-release are not adequately recognized in current correctional assessment and case management systems. Four avenues for future research and service development in this area are identified, with a view to developing the role that correctional services have to play in preventing intimate partner violence.