The Minneapolis Domestic Violence Experiment concluded that which police response was most effective at deterring future violence?

• A. Arresting offenders
• B. Mediation
• C. Referring to counseling
• D. Making no arrest

Answer: (A)

When police respond to domestic violence calls, the experiment tested which approach best reduces the chance of more violence later. Volunteers assigned incidents to four responses: arrest the offender, arrange mediation between the partners, refer the offender to counseling, or make no arrest. The finding was that arresting the offender was the most effective at deterring future violence. The reason it works is that an arrest introduces immediate accountability and often results in the offender being separated from the scene, which lowers the immediate risk and sends a clear signal that violence has consequences. Mediation or counseling referrals rely on voluntary cooperation and behavioral change, which may not happen, and making no arrest misses that formal deterrent and accountability. In short, the deterrent effect is strongest when arrest occurs, making it the best-supported option among those tested.