Addressing family violence is a complex issue. The criminal justice system traditionally focused on enforcing the law and punishing the criminal. For so many years this was the only objective. Fortunately, in recent years there has been more attention on helping victims, But in reading Chapter 9, you can see that this too can be complicated. There are so many things to consider. One of the most frequent tools used in family violence cases is removing the aggressor, at least temporarily, from the home. This can result in additional strain on the family. Abused children are also removed from the home, but often are eventually returned. Elderly victims are sometimes removed from their lifelong residences and placed in care facilities. There are unintended consequences regarding most actions taken to protect victims. Chapter 9 focuses on these issues. So, based on your reading of this chapter, and on your opinions, what punishment do you think should be given to family violence offenders? Should partner abusers, child abusers, and elderly abusers be addressed differently?
