Evidence-Based Best Practices for Batterer Intervention Programs: A Report From the Field on the Realities and Challenges Batterer Intervention Programs Are Facing

Abstract

Throughout the United States, individuals are being court-ordered to attend batterer intervention programs (BIPs). BIPs were developed as an option to punish offenders for intimate partner violence (IPV) at the misdemeanor level. The purpose of BIPs is to hold batterers accountable and reduce the likelihood of recurring battery. However, determining the effectiveness of such programs has proven difficult because of the differences across programs and the uniqueness of individual batterers. In any case, there are best practices identified in the literature for particular components of BIPs such as practitioner education and training, proper intake and assessment, and offender oversight. In this article, we review the literature on the history of BIPs as well as the best practices identified earlier. Furthermore, the article describes an exploratory study that surveyed 7 local BIP practitioners. The questionnaire assessed practitioners’ practices and their compliance with current state standards as well as evidence-based practices recommended in the literature. The responses provided insight into the difficulties that practitioners face in meeting current state standards as well as practices outlined in empirical research. We conclude with a discussion on the issue of treating all batterers the same as well as areas for future study in the field of batterer intervention.