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Statewide domestic abuse incidents decline

MADISON — The Department of Justice’s Office of Crime Victim Services released the 2006 Domestic Abuse Incident Report Wednesday.

The annual report, compiled from data submitted by district attorneys’ offices throughout the state, shows the number of domestic abuse incidents has declined.

Statewide, the year’s total number of reported domestic abuse incidents dropped 3 percent from 2005 to 25,531 incidents.

Rock County had 1,217 incidents and an 87.5 percent arrest rate.

Walworth County had 459 incidents and a 67.3 percent arrest rate.

In Jefferson County, 415 abuse reports were made and 76.8 percent of those led to an arrest.

Green County had 158 reports and a 56.3 percent arrest rate.

Outside Milwaukee County, the most common charge issued statewide for abuse cases was disorderly conduct followed by battery.

The third-most common charge in 2006 was a municipal citation or ordinance violation.

There were 40 domestic homicides reported in 19 counties.

The youngest victim was an infant younger than 1 year old. The oldest was 85.

Homicide victims were most often females killed in their residence by a family member using a firearm or knife.

Of all domestic reports, about half of all victims and offenders were between ages 18 and 29. About 28 percent were 20-29, and 22 percent were 40-49.

Most domestics were between a spouse or ex-spouse (21 percent), with next most frequent by a partner or ex-partner in a dating relationship (17 percent).

A copy of the full report is available online at www.doj.state.wi.us/cvs.