Domestic Violence Arrests Increase, But Conviction Rates Are Low

The number of domestic violence arrests in American has been rising in recent years. Still, only 37 percent of reported domestic violence incidents result in arrests. Additionally, fewer than half of all arrests are followed by convictions.

An NIJ-funded study examines national trends in arrest rates while assessing the impact of local policies such as mandatory arrest laws. The study also examines the impact of dual arrests, where police arrest both parties because they do not know  the identify of the primary aggressor. Dual arrests are much more common in states that have mandatory arrest laws, which require police to make arrests in domestic violence cases.

Read Domestic Violence Cases: What Research Shows About Arrest and Dual Arrest Rates.