Non-Moletation Orders and the Adverse Effects of Criminalisation

[briansloan]

The President of the Family Division has expressed concern that the number of applications for non-molestation orders has dropped by 25-30% since breaching such orders became a criminal offence last year. The implication is that people are reluctant to report domestic violence and take action on it if it means their partner is at risk of getting a criminal record.

This might suggest that, whatever the arguments from principle, criminalisation is not always the answer.