Social Justice Implications of Domestic Violence Court Processes

Abstract

With the legal system in the United States being used increasingly to protect domestic violence victims and to promote social justice, it is critical to examine the effectiveness of this intervention. This article discusses civil court processes and outcomes for a Unified Domestic Violence Court with an emphasis on the social justice and economic impact on families experiencing domestic violence. Data were gathered and analysed as a means for evaluating court processes, programmatic interventions, resources, and policies. The findings suggest that this particular court system may be failing to protect citizens, responding inequitably, and underutilizing existing resources.

Keywords:

• Abuse
• courts
• domestic violence
• Florida
• United States of America