Losing the plot? Researching community safety partnership work against domestic violence

Abstract

This article considers the role of feminist community activism and academic research in the context of contemporary crime reduction policy. We draw upon experiences and knowledge gained from our involvement in comprehensive evaluation studies of community responses to domestic violence against women (in two areas of the South East of England) completed in 1996 and in 2004, before and after the present government's crime reduction initiatives. We consider the perils and prospects for academic ‘experts’ and feminist activists, of the increased emphasis on ‘what works’ in crime reduction, and the development of new technologies of control, especially in the areas of risk management and performance and monitoring.