COVID-19 Policies within the Court System: Analysis of Intimate Partner Violence Cases in Dallas, TX

The pattern of intimate partner violence (IPV) being adjudicated through the criminal justice system has historically shown gaps in both research and the application of protocol. When COVID-19 began creating lockdowns in March 2020, the criminal justice system saw a brief increase in IPV cases. Not only does the increase show the need for IPV offenders to be arrested, but it also calls into question how these cases are prosecuted. The inconsistencies of legal outcomes commonly associated with IPV became even more erratic as protocol from the CDC had to be included in the decision to adjudicate IPV and how it should be processed. Using IPV court cases of the District Attorney’s Office in Dallas, TX, legal outcomes were recorded to test whether the COVID-19 pandemic changed how they were prosecuted. Regression analyses revealed that offenders that were sanctioned to pay a fine paid, on average, a higher fine during the pandemic than they did before the pandemic occurred. The results provide an illustration of how the criminal justice system managed both the execution of justice and the prevention of the COVID-19 virus regarding IPV cases. Although temporary, the protocols created during this period determined the legal outcomes of these cases, which has implications for how IPV cases will be prosecuted in the future.

Embargo status: Restricted until 06/2024. To request the author grant access, click on the PDF link to the left.