Family Attorney

Domestic Violence Arrests Quadruple in New York City

Arrests in domestic violence cases have more than quadrupled in New York City in the last four years, and Mayor Koch and Police Commissioner Benjamin Ward said yesterday that was a result of more aggressive police response to reports of family disputes.

The surge in domestic violence arrests - which are expected to exceed 13,000 in 1988 compared with 2,764 in 1984 - far outstrips the increase in the number of domestic violence complaints reported to 911, the police emergency number, police statistics show.

In the last four years, the number of family disputes reported through 911 have increased by only 5 percent, to 200,245, the Police Department said. The number of cases in which charges of domestic violence were formally brought has risen more dramatically - up 135 percent since 1984, to 45,985. Not all those cases resulted in arrests. Since 1978, when a class-action suit challenged New York City Police Department policies in cases involving battered wives, the police have toughened their response to complaints of domestic violence, and arrests have become mandatory for all domestic cases involving felonies. In 1984, the police adopted a policy requiring a response to all 911 domestic cases, including those involving nontraditional family relationships, such as people living together. Victims Reluctant to Proceed

More : query.nytimes.com

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