Mandatory arrest laws lead to wrongful arrests of domestic violence victims, investigation finds
Bloomberg Law probe finds charges dropped in at least 85% of cases examined; survivors describe arrests that eroded trust in law enforcement
A yearlong investigation by Bloomberg Law has found that mandatory arrest laws in about half of U.S. states, intended to prevent violence from escalating, have failed dozens of victims, including people wrongly arrested after calling 911; charges were dropped in at least 85% of cases examined. The investigation reported that arrests can erode survivors’ trust in law enforcement; some said false arrests cost them jobs or custody of their children, and more than a dozen said they were injured by responding officers during their arrests.