Domestic abuse courts: report

Aims and objectives

The Consultation paper noted above recommended that further evaluation of the effectiveness of an integrated court structure would need to be undertaken. With this specific focus in mind, this project aimed to explore the available evidence on the effectiveness of IDACs, and in particular sought to:

• Identify jurisdictions where models of integrated domestic violence courts have been adopted;
• Discuss the justification for introduction in jurisdictions, and the desired outcomes of the particular models;
• Describe the practical operation of these models; and
• Explore any evidence which assesses the effectiveness of these courts in meeting outcomes, and identify gaps in the evidence base.