II. Domestic Violence Offenders

Domestic violence is an act or threat of abuse that is an attempt to control another person and shape their life in the way the offender desires. Acts of domestic or intimate partner violence can be physical, emotional or sexual and directed toward a spouse, ex-spouse, current or former boyfriend or girlfriend, or anyone in an intimate relationship. It may also include abuse of grandparents, parents, children, siblings or others in the home or extended family.

It is estimated that 1 to 4 million people are assaulted by their partners or former partners each year. As American society has increasingly defined domestic violence as a crime, rather than a private family matter, the criminal justice system has become more responsible for stopping it.