CA Penal Code Part 4 Title 5
2025-03-28 00:25:13.087102+01 by Dan Lyke 1 comments
Jess Huang: How a well-intended California domestic violence law results in victims being arrested
Under the California Penal Code, officers must make an arrest in domestic violence cases when they determine probable cause. Enacted in 1986, this specific provision was meant to protect victims.
The problem? The law assumes officers are trained to identify the dominant aggressor, but research shows that training gaps and the code’s mandatory arrest provision often pressures them into rushed, surface-level decisions. Experts say this creates too much room for error.