Parents or caregivers were injured in more than a third of domestic violence cases witnessed by children, but just a small fraction of offenders faced jail time, according to a new study in the journal Psychology of Violence.
Just one in four incidents resulted in police reports, according to the nationwide study, which included telephone interviews in 2011 with parents or caregivers of children less than 10 years old and direct interviews with children 10 to 17 years old.
In cases that did not result in arrest, almost one-third of adults said police should have arrested the perpetrator, according to the study.
Despite stereotypes that domestic violence is more prevalent in low-income households, researchers found that violent incidents crossed economic lines. Twenty-eight percent occurred in households with annual incomes under $20,000, 30 percent with incomes from $20,000-$50,000, 18 percent with incomes from $50,000-$75,000 and 24 percent with incomes of more than $75,000.
More than half, 53 percent, occurred in white households; 20 percent were in African-American households and 16 percent in Latino households.
Read the full study HERE.