David D’Amora, senior policy adviser at the council's Justice Center, said Kentucky's high domestic violence rate is a “major driver” of other violent crime, and reducing such crimes by 25% could save the state $10 million over five years.
"You can sort of think of it as a gateway behavior into other violent crime," D’Amora explained. "When we look at mass shootings, for example, the majority of those individuals have a history that includes domestic violence."
Over the six-year period analyzed, around half the violent crimes in Kentucky involved domestic violence. In the state, 48% of women experience intimate partner violence or stalking, compared with 47% nationally.
In 2022, there were about 39,000 law enforcement responses to domestic violence and more than 9,500 arrests. The cases can take more time than other calls and require more officers per response. When polled, 80% of law enforcement agencies in Kentucky said they do not have a large enough staff to effectively handle the caseload.
D'Amora noted that departments may also lack assessment tools to help determine if a prior offender is likely to commit more violence.
"The majority of folks who are in the police departments in Kentucky have had some training and have knowledge about the issue of domestic violence," D'Amora acknowledged. "But many of them don't have screening tools."
This year, the state passed a law to stiffen penalties for those who violate protective orders.