The Nation - News from July 7, 1986
Battered women are getting more protection because of increasingly aggressive prosecution of domestic violence, a new study has concluded. The survey said that until recently, most criminal justice officials looked the other way when domestic violence occurred, treating it as a low-priority problem. In Los Angeles, for example, victims who want to drop charges are advised that a crime has been committed and that the prosecutor should decide whether the court should be asked to dismiss a complaint. The study, conducted for the National Institute of Justice, said more than 1.7 million Americans a year face a spouse with a gun or a knife and more than 2 million are beaten by spouses.
More to Read
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.