Of 623,000 violent crimes committed by an intimate partner in 2007, 554,000 were against female victims, and 69,000 against male victims. This is according to the 2008 Department of Justice National Crime Victimization Survey. Additionally, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in 2003 that more than three U. S. women per day were murdered by their husbands or boyfriends, and one in four U.S. women will experience domestic violence at some point in her life. The toll on women, their families, and society as a whole is incalculable. Consider these additional facts:

• Of all female homicide victims from 1976 to 2008, 41% were killed by an intimate partner or family member.
• On a typical day in 2008, 1,683 domestic violence hotline calls were answered; an average or 14 calls per minute.
• On any single day in 2008, 16,458 children were living in a domestic violence shelter or transitional living facility.
• 5.5 million U.S. children live in a family in which domestic violence occurred at least once in the past year.
• Seven million U.S. children live in families in which severe partner violence has occurred at least once.
• 60 to 75% of families with intimate partner violence have children who are also battered.

Research conducted over the past two decades, including that sponsored by this foundation, has shown that people with histories of violent behavior appear to have a dysfunction of the neurotransmitter, 5-hydroxtryptamine (serotonin, or 5-HT). Some of these same studies have shown a significant reduction in violent behavior with the use of nutritional supplements such as vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids. When taken in standard recommended daily amounts, the 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin, or 5-HT) function has a chance of being normalized.

The goal of the Domestic Violence Reduction Project of the Violence Research Foundation is to fundamentally change the way the public looks at the treatment of violent behavior. With its long history of interest in the biological causes of violence, VRF is uniquely positioned to take the initiative and produce a definitive study utilizing the highest research standards, demonstrating that a low cost nutritional supplement consisting of vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids may reduce the likelihood of violent behavior in humans. We expect policymakers and law enforcement officials to view this cost-effective means of intervention as a practical and affordable way to reduce domestic violence, reduce incarceration costs, and enable many offenders to live peaceful and productive lives.

Since its establishment over 25 years ago, the Violence Research Foundation has sought to determine the biological causes of violent behavior. As long ago as 1989, we sponsored SB 107 in California funding a study (Schoenthaler, 1989) of 400 inmates of the California Youth Authority, half of whom were given a common nutritional supplement (vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids), and half of whom were given a placebo. While this study was imperfect with regard to strict scientific research procedures, the conclusions were still impressive: those given the vitamins and minerals demonstrated a 39% reduction in violent behavior and recidivism, compared to no change in rates for those taking the placebo.

Recent studies, conducted under more controlled circumstances, suggest that nutritional supplementation may reduce the likelihood of violent behavior in humans (e.g. Gesch, et al, 2002; Hamazaki, et al, 1996; Schoenthaler, et al, 1997; Walsh, Glab & Haakenson, 2004). However, methodological inconsistencies still tend to limit the extent to which these studies can be relied upon as definitive guidelines for intervention.

With its long history of concern for the biological causes of violence, VRF is uniquely positioned to seize the initiative and produce a definitive study utilizing top quality research standards demonstrating that a cost effective nutritional supplement consisting of vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids may reduce the likelihood of violent behavior in humans.

With the exception of traditional incarceration, there are few treatment methods being utilized to reduce domestic violence. Currently, the only widely utilized treatment program is known as the “Batterers’ Intervention Programs”. The BIP program, as it called, was initiated in most states in the early 1990’s, and it is a condition of probation that those convicted of a domestic violence offenses attend the weekly group BIP counseling session for a minimum of one year. Effectiveness of these programs has been questionable, at best, as evidenced by the following:

A major study by Babcock, et al (2004), indicates:

• Domestic Violence offenders had a 40% chance of being nonviolent without treatment
• They had a 35% chance of nonviolence with treatment
• About 60% of offenders will reoffend or recidivate, irrespective of the intervention.

In another study of Domestic Violence offenders, Saunders (1993) found:

• Of those who did not complete a BIP program, 52% would recidivate
• And 32% of those who did complete would recidivate

And, in a study of 662 BIP participants by Gondolf (1997), they found the following:

• 32% of female partners reported at least one re-assault during the first year
• 61% of those resulted in bruises or injuries
• 12% of those required medical attention

More recently, a review of the effectiveness of California’s BIPs, supported by the National Institute of Justice, was conducted by MacLeod et al, (2009). These investigators, drawing a sample of over 1000 men enrolled in BIPs in five California counties (Los Angeles, Riverside, San Joaquin, Santa Clara and Solano), looked at rates of program completion and re-offense. According to the investigators, the educational topics included in the BIPs were those identified by the California legislature as important for helping to end domestic abuse. There was no statistical association at all between the BIP program participation and an offender’s likelihood of re-offense.

The Domestic Violence Reduction Project seeks to be an enhancement to the current BIP programs. Our wish is to supplement their existing group therapy programs by introducing a weekly supply of multiple vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids into the probationer’s regular diet. Further, we expect the outcomes of the BIP programs to noticeably improve as result of one half of the participants receiving nutritional supplements.

The Violence Research Foundation is very fortunate to have the support and participation of the following partners for this Orange County, California based project.

1. The University of California, Irvine. Under the direction of Francis M, Crinella, Ph.D., Principal Investigator, UCI will be responsible for the research function of the project, with the objective of publishing a peer-reviewed study upon completion. Dr. Crinella has a long history with VRF, serving as a director and officer of the foundation. In addition he has been a co-investigator or principal investigator on many research projects dealing with the neurological effects of heavy metal toxicity, as well as nutritional imbalances with regard to violent behavior.
2. The Orange County Probation Department. Known and respected as one of the best-run probation departments in the state, OCPD will provide 1000 male probationers who were convicted of domestic violence as subjects for the study. All participation is voluntary, subject to informed consent. In addition to the participants, OCPD will provide statistical and background data, both pre and post participation, to allow a comprehensive, objective evaluation of the results. We are always sensitive to the issues of privacy and confidentiality, and follow the strictest guidelines to assure compliance with these objectives.
3. CADVOC is an Orange County-wide association of professional counselors and psychologists. They conduct weekly group counseling sessions for parolees as mandated by California law. The protocol for these sessions is established by the National Batterers’ Intervention organization, and each parolee is required to complete a full 52 week course.
4. Hero Nutritionals, Inc. of San Clemente, California, will provide very high grade vitamins, minerals, and omega fatty acids at their cost as a benefit to the project.

Upon completion of this project, we expect to call attention to the value of adequate nutrition as an important, and cost effective, means of reducing violent behavior. We also expect that policymakers and law enforcement officials will see the potential of this low cost intervention as a way to reduce domestic violence, reduce the costs of incarceration, and enable many offenders in Orange County to become productive participants in society and responsible members of their families.

The Violence Research Foundation will oversee all activities of the Project. The study, officially known as “The Effects of Nutritional Supplementation on Recidivism in Male Probationers Convicted of Domestic Violence,” will be overseen by Dr. Francis M. Crinella, Ph.D. Dr. Crinella is with the Departments of Pediatrics, Psychiatry, & Human Behavior, and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of California, Irvine.

Specifically, we will do the following:

• For purposes of screening, we will gather sociodemographic, psychoeducational, medical and nutritional information from a cohort of up to 1000 probationers within the Orange County (CA) Probation Department who were convicted of a crime of Domestic Violence as they enter into their state-mandated BIP program;
• We will obtain informed consent from at least 600 of those probationers who have been screened for disqualifying (i.e., co-morbid) conditions;
• Randomly assign subjects to either an a)active nutritional supplement group (n=300) or b) a placebo group (n=300) for a period of one year, commencing with the initiation of their first session of the 52-week state-mandated program, and continuing through its completion;
• Gather information pertaining to all incidents of violent behavior, from a) periodic interviews with spouses/domestic partners; b) reviews of police records; and c) reviews of treatment program outcomes.

Upon completion of the Project, we will publish a comprehensive base of data utilizing top quality research standards demonstrating nutritional supplementation consisting of vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids may reduce the likelihood of violent behavior in humans.

The focus of our work at the Violence Research Foundation has long been the biological causes of violent behavior. We are keenly aware, however, of other factors which have significant impact on the incidences of violence, including: genetic, psychological, environmental and dietary factors. We will leave it to researchers in other fields to pursue these factors.

The Violence Research Foundation considers this project to be the natural result of over 25 years of research, political advocacy, and public education. We will call attention to the value of adequate nutrition as a simple and cost-effective way of reducing domestic violence. We believe we have the opportunity with the Domestic Violence Reduction Project of the Violence Research Foundation to fundamentally change the way the public looks at the treatment of violent behavior.