Domestic Violence in America

Booknews

A psychologist who served on a Florida commission intended to develop treatment standards for batterers, McKenzie gives an overview of the magnitude of domestic violence and the spousal battery cycle. He examines the making of a batterer; counseling for both the batterer and his victim; and the sometimes lackadaisical response of police and courts in the United States. Stopping domestic violence will require the cooperation of law enforcement, mental health professionals, medical practitioners, the judicial system, and the academic community, he finds. Written in rather dry scholarly style, the work is aimed primarily at those professionals and not at the battered woman; includes a directory of domestic violence centers around the country. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)