Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Purpose This study examines how safety risk indicators and employment status influence civil protection order (CPO) outcomes for first-time filing mothers. While statutory provisions aim to protect IPV victims, judicial discretion may introduce inconsistencies, particularly for economically marginalized petitioners. Methods Using CPO case data from a jurisdiction with a progressive statute, we analyzed whether safety risk indicators (e.g., violence history, lethality risk) and employment status predicted temporary CPO issuance and protection duration. Robust logistic regression was conducted to assess these relationships while controlling for legal representation. Results Findings revealed that safety risk indicators, including violence severity and lethality risk, were not significantly associated with either temporary CPO issuance or protection duration. Employment status was not a significant predictor. An interaction between petitioners’ employment and lethality risk emerged, indicating differing patterns for employed and unemployed mothers. Conclusions These findings raise questions about potential gaps between statutory intent and judicial practices, particularly regarding how unemployed mothers may experience the CPO process. The results highlight the need for further research and may inform efforts related to judicial training on IPV dynamics and implicit bias, as well as policy discussions aimed at improving equity and consistency in CPO outcomes.
Source: Journal of Family Violence
Language: English
Subfield: Health
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,090
OpenAlex ID: W7156811636