HomeMy WebLinkAbout1978 05-17 Maplewood among fifth highest in batterings, totals sketchy in new study THE REVIEW Maplewood am 'on � fth• in est
totals sketchy the police station for a citation to be
issued.
ff Of most of these complaints, Schaller
in n e I N study said,"We let them know in strong enough
. terms with the warning that somebody
Maplewood among the fifth highest in .`"" will have to be removed.A third party has
the state in the number of battered wives a stabilizing one-sided.". Usually it's not
allegations? A surprising finding, completely
The Minnesota Department of �' Usually one of the social ills is also
Corrections began a studyin mid-March c involved—drug dependency or alcohol,
g financial difficulties or misun-
and its preliminary findings were
published in a recent article in the Min- Schaller said in family relationships.
neapolis Star. In the first month, the � Schaller that they did not see so
highest numbers of batterings were : ", much like
child childse inl these cases — "It's
reported by the police departments of more like neglect."
Rochester,Moorhead,New Hope,Fridley "FriSchallerends living togetherAwhole is the realm
and Maplewood.Minneapolis and St.Paul MAPLEWOOD POLICE chief Richard of the could said. A new realm
reports have not yet been determined. Schaller talked about a recent studyof of the lawebe createdarfor propertye
"But that simply might reflect which battered women. agreements for unmarried couples, he
areas are cooperating the most,"the Star explained. The violence is often found
the cole splits up.
quoted Mary O'Hara, research analyst trying to be very accurate in reporting all whenThere are many agencies where people
conducting the study. the cases." can be referred in battering cases.
Although reports of batterings There are not only problems with Family counseling, welfare help, AA or
represent less than one percent of all women being battered. Schaller has sent other dependency counseling, Ramsey
Maplewood police calls, Maplewood two reports involving battered husbands County Mental Health, or the Youth
police chief Richard Schaller said, "It to the unprepared Department of Service Bureau if young people are in-
might be because Maplewood has been Corrections.
more careful in sending in reports.That's Schaller said that usually the calls they volved.
Scller talked again about the study
probably the reason that they're high in received were not from people who have being done by the Department of
this." Approximately 15 cases were not called before. Many times there are Corrections."A smaller city tends to take
reported in the first six weeks of the threats or situations that have reached a care of its own," he said. "And what
study. critical point.
Schaller said the study began after A new law states that a peace officer as might city) might not be nted in onet uation another uch
en-
other studies of families suggested that can arrest without witnessing an assault. vironment."
physical violence takes place in one A bruised or bleeding victim would fit into Mary O'Hara, the research analyst for
quarter to one half of all marital the "probable cause" condition of this this study, said, "I think Maplewood
relationships. law. The police can hold the assailant for police are very conscientious." But she
"We aren't having that many more up to 24 hours before an official complaint added, "The reports tell us that a lot is
cases," Schaller continued. "But we're is made. But the person must be taken to going on in the suburbs."