The Texas Council on Family Violence (TCFV) has released its findings from the 2025 Efficacy of Battering Intervention and Prevention Programs report.
In a May 12, 2026, email from TCFV, the organization stated that its impact resonated across the state of Texas through four strategic pillars:
- Legislative Victory for Systems Change
- Proving What Works
- Innovation Rooted in Ethics
- Life-Saving Coordination
The study, conducted in partnership with the University of Texas at Dallas Institute for Urban Policy Research, analyzed outcomes for more than 1,600 participants across Texas programs funded by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
The report provides one of the most comprehensive statewide evaluations to date of Battering Intervention and Prevention Programs (BIPPs), which aim to reduce domestic violence recidivism through court-mandated education and counseling.
It found that successful program completion is linked to lower rates of re-arrest, particularly for family violence offenses.
Key Findings on Program Impact
Researchers reviewed data from 14 agencies and detailed client records from seven selected programs representing urban, suburban, and rural areas. The study tracked recidivism at one- and three-year intervals using criminal history records.
Program completers showed notably better outcomes. At one year post-completion, 89.5% of completers had no new arrests compared to 85.2% of non-completers. At three years, 78% of completers avoided re-arrest versus 69.5% of non-completers.
For family violence-specific offenses, the differences were more pronounced. Only 1.1% of completers faced family violence re-arrest within one year, compared to 3.1% of non-completers. At three years, the figures were 2.9% and 7% respectively. Felony family violence re-arrests followed a similar pattern: 0.6% versus 2.9% at one year and 1.8% versus 5.3% at three years.
The report states that “these results demonstrate that successful program completion is associated with meaningful reductions in both general and DV-specific recidivism, with the protective effect most pronounced for family violence–related crimes.”
Program Operations and Participant Profile
Court mandates drove 70-75% of referrals to BIPPs, with the remainder coming primarily from professional sources. Programs predominantly used the Duluth Model and psychoeducational approaches, supplemented by cognitive-behavioral techniques and motivational interviewing.
Facilitators averaged more than 40 hours of domestic violence-specific training.
Participants averaged 35 years old at enrollment. Hispanics made up 45% of the group, followed by White non-Hispanics at 28% and Black non-Hispanics at 19%. Completers tended to be older and had fewer prior arrests than those who did not finish.
The study noted limitations, including reliance on official arrest records, which may undercount actual reoffending, and the absence of direct survivor feedback in outcome measures.
Context and Recommendations
Texas operates 26 TDCJ-CJAD-funded and accredited BIPPs, most housed within family violence centers. The programs form part of a broader response to domestic violence, which affects nearly one in three Texans over a lifetime.
The report offers several policy recommendations, including prioritizing program completion through better retention strategies, expanding capacity and wraparound services, enhancing facilitator training in trauma-informed and culturally competent practices, and strengthening data collection for long-term tracking.
The organization continues to support survivors through policy advocacy, training, and coordination with statewide partners.
