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AIC Publication: Domestic violence offenders, prior offending and reoffending in Australia

Domestic violence offenders, prior offending and reoffending in Australia


The AIC has released a review of 39 Australian quantitative studies published since 1995 that examined domestic violence offending and reoffending.

Key findings from this review include:

  • The overwhelming majority of domestic violence offenders who come into contact with the criminal justice system are men, while Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men are over-represented among offender populations.
  • Recent alcohol consumption is a common feature of domestic violence incidents, and associated with increased severity of violence.
  • A significant proportion of domestic violence offenders who come into contact with the criminal justice system have a prior recorded history of domestic violence. Many first-time offenders have also been previously violent towards their partners.
  • Domestic violence offenders in the justice system often reoffend, and the risk of reoffending is highest in the weeks and months following an incident.
  • Prolific offending is concentrated among a relatively small group of offenders, while many domestic violence offenders also commit other types of offences.
  • Risk of reoffending is higher among men, young offenders, Indigenous offenders, people who are unemployed or financially disadvantaged, and offenders with multiple prior offences. However, no single risk factor was predictive of repeat offending by itself.

These findings reaffirm the importance of evidence-based strategies targeting male domestic violence offenders, violence in Indigenous communities and in disadvantaged areas, the role of alcohol in domestic violence, and recidivist offenders who come into contact with the police, courts and corrections.

The paper is available for free download on the AIC website: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi580


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