Rev. ed. of: Domestic violence. 3rd ed. c2003. Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction : the role and context of agency responses to domestic violence -- The scope of the problem : defining and measuring domestic violence -- Matters of history, faith, and society -- Theoretical explanations for domestic violence -- Selective screening : barriers to intervention -- The impetus for change -- The evolution of arrest preferences : criminalizing the societal response -- Variations in arrest practices -- The role of state and federal legislation -- Case prosecution : the journey from a roadblock to a change agent -- Civil courts and the role of restraining orders -- Models for judicial intervention -- Community-based and court-sponsored diversions -- Domestic violence, health, and the health system response -- Domestic violence, children, and the institutional response.