DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND LOCAL LAW-ENFORCEMENT IN TEXAS - EXAMINING POLICE OFFICERS AWARENESS OF STATE LEGISLATION

In the past decade many states have introduced new legislation that allows police officers to make warrentless arrests in misdemeanor cases of domestic violence. Previous research has concentrated on examining those factors which influence police officers'use of discretion in terms of making arrests, but it has failed to evaluate whether police officers are aware of the changes in the law. This exploratory study evaluated 64 Texas police officers and found that a sizable minority of officers did not know the conditions under which an arrest could have been made. © 1991, SAGE PUBLICATIONS. All rights reserved.