To the editor:

Several recent articles on domestic violence noted that these cases are dismissed more frequently than other crimes. The assumption in the articles was that these cases are dismissed and guilty people are freed. In fact, not everyone arrested for domestic violence is guilty. The system is set up so that a higher percentage of people are incorrectly arrested for domestic violence than for other crimes.

The law requires police to arrest someone every time they receive a domestic violence call when they believe a crime was committed. This is true even when the evidence is as minor as a scratch.

Some people call the police as a way to end arguments, accusing their partner of domestic violence when it has not occurred. Other times, the situation is so unclear with people yelling back and forth and lying to the police that the wrong person is arrested. Often it is not until weeks later when the case is prepared for trial that the true facts are discovered. These facts may be quite different from what the police were told at the scene.

In order to protect victims of domestic violence the law requires police to arrest someone based on very little information. The result of this policy is that more mistaken arrests are made and, therefore, more domestic violence cases are dismissed.

Remember, just because someone is arrested for domestic violence does not mean he or she is guilty.

Carolyn R. Simpson,

Lawrence