On average, more than two domestic violence (DV) incidents were reported to law enforcement every hour of every day in 2004. SANDAG’s Criminal Justice Research Division has analyzed the actual number of reported DV incidents, as well as the percent change from 2003 to 2004 across the 18 jurisdictions and unincorporated areas in the county. While there was a two percent decrease overall from 2003, there was variation across the region, with seven jurisdictions experiencing a decrease (ranging from 3% to 9%) and 11 showing an increase (ranging from 2% to 15%). One jurisdiction reported the same number of incidents in both years.

Changes in the number of incidents are related to a number of factors, including effective efforts to encourage individuals to come forward and report DV incidents, thus resulting in a rise in the numbers, or aggressive judicial policies that may improve the system’s response and contribute to a decline in incidents. Viewed within this larger context, tracking these fluctuations is one means to measure the impact of system changes. To learn more about crime in the region, or domestic violence studies conducted by the Criminal Justice Research Division, please visit SANDAG’s Web site at www.sandag.org/cj.

Project Manager:
Cynthia Burke
619-699-1910