Victims’ experiences and satisfaction with a family justice center

Pages241-251
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/JACPR-03-2019-0405
Date03 October 2019
Published date03 October 2019
AuthorHeather Melton
Subject MatterHealth & social care
Victimsexperiences and satisfaction with
a family justice center
Heather Melton
Abstract
Purpose The family justice center (FJC) model centralizes social and legal services available to intimate
partner abuse (IPA) victims in order to facilitate their help-seeking and improve their experiences and the
response to IPA. Little, yet promising, research has highlighted the effectiveness of this model. The purpose
of this paper is to explore experiences of victims of IPA at one FJC.
Design/methodology/approach In total, 24 respondents who utilized a FJC in a western county in the
USA were interviewed using a survey that included both descriptive quantitative and qualitative questions.
Descriptive analysis was performed on the quantitative portion and content analysis on the qualitative portion.
Findings Most of the respondents used the FJC multiple times and for multiple services. Most were referred by
a shelter or a hotline. The most common services used were housing services, followed by counseling. Overall,
these respondents felt supported by FJC staff and were satisfied. However, some of the respondents who did
indicate satisfaction in the quantitative portion of the survey expressed concerns in the qualitative portion.
Research limitations/implications The study is limited by a small sample size; however, it has
implications for recruitment, outreach and training as well as methodological implications for how FJCs
should be evaluated.
Originality/value This paper adds to the scant literature on FJCs and the FJC model.
Keywords Family justice centres, Intimate partner abuse, Qualitative research on intimate partner abuse,
Services for intimate partner abuse, Victims of intimate partner abuse,
Victims of intimate partner abuse satisfaction with services
Paper type Research paper
Background
Intimate partner abuse (IPA) continues to be a major social and criminal problem. In fact, the
National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey reports that 32 percent of women
surveyed experienced physical abuse (Krebs et al., 2011), with lifetime estimates of one in four
women experiencing severe physical violence (Black et al., 2011). Since the 1970s, numerous
victim services have become available to aid victims in dealing with their abuse. These services
span the medical, community and criminal justice fields. Family justice centers (FJCs) are one
type of service available since the early 2000s. These centers typically centralize many of the
different legal and social services available to victims, thus in theory making those services more
easily accessible and victim centered. The Department of Justice Office on Violence against
Women (2007) even touted the FJC model as best practice. Little, yet promising, research has
emerged on their efficacy (Simmons et al., 2016). This paper adds to that knowledge by
exploring descriptively a FJC that serves a large western county in the USA. One particular goal in
this study is to give the victimsvoice. Thus, it is not an overall evaluation or an assessment of the
FJC but rather an exploration of the center from the victimsperspective.
The FJC model
The FJC model began being utilized in the early 2000s (Simmons et al., 2016). This model serves
to co-locate staff from a diverse range of multidisciplinary helping agencies under one location to
make it easier for victims (Gwinn and Strack, 2010; Simmons et al., 2016). This could include
Received 3 March 2019
Revised 28 May 2019
3June2019
Accepted 3 June 2019
Heather Melton is based at the
Department of Sociology,
The University of Utah,
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
DOI 10.1108/JACPR-03-2019-0405 VOL. 11 NO. 4 2019, pp.241-251, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1759-6599
j
JOURNAL OF AGGRESSION, CONFLICTAND PEACE RESEARCH
j
PAGE241

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT