Design of the “Up2U” domestic abuse perpetrator programme
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JACPR-04-2017-0280 |
| Published date | 09 July 2018 |
| Pages | 189-201 |
| Date | 09 July 2018 |
| Author | Dominic A.S. Pearson,Amy Ford |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Criminology & forensic psychology,Aggression, conflict & peace,Sociology,Gender studies,Gender violence,Political sociology, policy & social change,Social conflicts,War/peace |
Design of the “Up2U”domestic abuse
perpetrator programme
Dominic A.S. Pearson and Amy Ford
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to outline the development, structure, and implementation of a new
programme for domestic abuse (DA) perpetrators.
Design/methodology/approach –A needs-led DA perpetrator programme is proposed, named as “Up2U:
Creating Healthy Relationships”(Up2U). The background to Up2U, its aims, configuration, and delivery
methods are presented in this paper. To illustrate Up2U, the targets for change and referral population in the
development site are discussed. Furthermore, the paper reflects on some of the implementation decisions
and the steps taken towards evaluating the impact of Up2U in the development site.
Findings –Research supports provision of treatment targeting perpetrators’criminogenic needs,
delivered with responsivity to their learning styles, at an intensity that matches their risk. Change on
treatment targets can be evaluated in the context of differences in recidivism outcomes to help assess
whether impact can be attributed to the programme. It can also serve as a more proximal index of success/
failure for individual clients. Such implementation and evaluation decisions are a benefit of the present
researcher-practitioner partnership.
Originality/value –Up2U is innovative by being risk-and needs-led rather than taking a gendered approach
to DA treatment, and this new evidence-based approach may reduce partner abuse. This is the first paper to
outline Up2U’s structure, content, implementation, and measurement.
Keywords Intimate partner violence, Spousal assault, Research design, Evidence-based treatment,
Risk-needs-responsivity, Randomised controlled trial (RCT), Evidence-based intervention,
Offending behaviour programmes, Batterer intervention
Paper type Research paper
Partner violence is widely recognised as an all-too-common societal problem, and a major cause
of harm and death (Office for National Statistics (ONS), 2016). Representative surveys indicate
that around 20 per cent of people experience domestic abuse (DA), and 6-22 per cent report DA
annually with the higher rates experienced in low-income lone parent households (ONS, 2016).
The majority of incidents are reported by the minority being repeatedly victimised.
However, due to limited evaluation studies, the field of DA perpetrator treatment is currently in
danger of a “nothing works”position similar to that historically experienced in sexual offender
treatment (Furby et al., 1989). Sys tematic reviews ha ve not found curren t approaches to DA
treatment to be demonstrably effective regarding their ability to reduce future violence
(Babcock et al., 2004; Feder et al., 2008; Stover et al., 2009). This may be due to a lack of
focus on risk factors. DA treatment is provided predominantly using programmes based on a
gender-led model . We propose that th e DA field would bene fit from the provis ion and
evaluation of a criminogenic needs-led intervention programme. The lack of clear effects in this
field must also be understood in the context of the state of the research evidence. On the one
hand, there are too fe w evaluation studies; but on t he other hand, the studies that d o exist have
designs with limited methodological rigour. A key argument of this paper concerns the need to
provide well-controlled evaluations that suit local delivery arrangements. Deficiencies in both
aspects, treatme nt model, and evaluation design, ar e argued to be responsible for the curre nt
lack of effects in DA perpetrator treatment. Each aspect is addressed in turn below in
introducing the Up2U programme, which we are implementing within a ra ndomised controlled
trial (RCT) in Ports mouth, England .
Received 21 April 2017
Revised 21 July 2017
Accepted 4 August 2017
Dominic A.S. Pearson is a
Senior Lecturer in Forensic
Psychology at the Department
of Psychology, University of
Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK.
Amy Ford is the Up2U
Business and Development
Director at Domestic Abuse
Service, Portsmouth City
Council, Portsmouth, UK.
DOI 10.1108/JACPR-04-2017-0280 VOL. 10 NO. 3 2018, pp.189-201, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1759-6599
j
JOURNAL OF AGGRESSION, CONFLICTAND PEACE RESEARCH
j
PAGE189
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