Family and Intimate Partner Violence Heavy Hands

It has been over a decade since the first edition of Heavy Hands was published. The first edition was called "groundbreaking." It was the first text for a course not then taught in college classrooms. This classic has been tried and found true for hundreds of courses. It is used in the United States and abroad. Over a decade later, Heavy Hands has grown up and kept pace with the fast-changing field of family violence. There have been so many important changes in family violence practice, policy, and research. We have seen its criminalization and the resulting controversy. Domestic violence protection orders are now a common source of protection for the survivors of intimate partner violence. Offenders are routinely referred to treatment programs. We now recognize that abuse in later life may come from a spouse or close family member and not merely from stressed caregivers. Child abuse has gained recognition as an important criminal justice and police investigation focus. Rates of intimate partner violence and homicide have declined. Violence against males and LGBTI populations is now acknowledged. No longer is there an expectation for the one-size-fits-all response. Things have changed. Criminal justice has evolved as a profession that values higher education and research. This sixth edition has evolved as well. It includes current information on numerous topics of interest within the field of family violence. While it cannot cover everything, this text provides all the essential information for a course on family violence. It is comprehensive, yet easy to understand. The text has been reorganized so that each chapter stands alone, as part of the larger issue of family violence. This should allow students and instructors to more easily find the information of interest to them. Each chapter ends with a practical scenario that poses a question for students to consider. the answer will be provided within that chapter. This will allow students to test their knowledge through a real-life situation.