Diffusion of Complex Governance Arrangements: State Approaches to Addressing Intimate Partner Violence

• Published date: 01 May 2022
• Author: Daniel L. Fay,Luciana Polischuk
• Date: 01 May 2022
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/puar.13453

Research Article:

Race and Gender

Symposium

420 Public Administration Review • May | June 2022

Abstract: In the 1970s, many viewed domestic violence as a private concern. Since then, every state has adopted

a domestic violence coalition to address intimate partner violence (IPV) through government intervention. States

vary, however, in the structure of the coalitions, participation in federal programs, and the comprehensiveness of IPV

services offered. Using the theoretical lenses of policy diffusion and policy drift, this study assesses the development

of IPV coalitions from 1976 to 2018, paying particular attention to institutional structures, intergovernmental

resources, and strategic service priorities. We find evidence of policy drift and multidirectional policy diffusion in state

IPV institutional structures, service delivery, federal program participation, and strategic priorities of these activities.

Federal grant programs increase the likelihood of program emulation among states and may encourage innovation

within existing institutional and policy structures for the development of comprehensive services and a preventive

approach to IPV that best serve vulnerable groups.

Evidence for Practice

• Policymakers should avoid narrowly tailored policy mechanisms that encourage homogeneity among

intimate partner violence (IPV) coalitions and stifle innovation in IPV governance.

• Advocates for a public health approach to IPV may work within existing policy and institutional programs to

encourage institutional change despite narrow legislation since IPV innovation often occurs without formal

policy change.

• IPV service providers should look to national leaders to develop their own comprehensive IPV strategies that

can be enacted without legislative action.

• IPV coalitions with effective IPV programs and services should communicate best program and service

implementation practices with later adopters since the late adopters will emulate leaders.

Policy diffusion literature often simplifies

the adoption of policy innovations across

governmental units (i.e., cities, states, or

nations) by overlooking the complex governance

environment in which solutions are implemented, the

multidirectional pressure governments face to adopt

similar policies, and the evolution of innovations over

their lifecycle. Based on the history of government

involvement in intimate partner violence (IPV) service

delivery, the complex institutional environment

across the United States, and the evolution of IPV

service priorities over the past four decades, it offers

an ideal case to address the gaps in policy diffusion

scholarship. This study, therefore, seeks to fill the

lacuna in diffusion literature and understand the

adoption and evolution of IPV institutions and

policies across the United States.

IPV affects nearly 10 million people every year,

accounting for 15 percent of all violent crime in

the United States (Centers for Disease Control

[CDC]2015). IPV includes physical assault, battery,

sexual assault, intimidation, or other abusive behavior

systematically perpetuating power and control by one

intimate partner against another. Every community

experiences IPV regardless of gender, race, age,

socioeconomic status, religion, or nationality, but

subordinated and marginalized gender identities are

disproportionately affected by IPV (Campbell and

Mannell2016; Walker2015). Since IPV is a complex

and omnipresent issue, governmental response to IPV

is equally complex and ubiquitous across all levels of

government. It therefore represents an ideal setting

to contribute to areas previous diffusion studies have

overlooked.

IPV governance systems involve compounded

and multilevel subsystems of interdependent

issues and organizations (Teisman, van Buuren,

and Gerrits2009). IPV advocacy coalitions, the

institutional focus of this study, illustrate governance

complexity by coordinating the operations of

Daniel L. Fay

Luciana Polischuk

Florida State University

Diffusion of Complex Governance Arrangements: State

Approaches to Addressing Intimate Partner Violence

Luciana Polischuk is a doctoral

candidate in the Askew School of Public

Administration and Policy at the Florida

State University. Her research interests are

governance systems, policy implementation,

and gender inequalities. Previously, she

worked in a think tank and in a political

consultancy firm in Argentina doing

research and providing technical support

to national and subnational governments

on policy design and implementation, and

public governance.

Email: lp16d@my.fsu.edu

Daniel L. Fay is an associate professor in

the Askew School of Public Administration

and Policy at the Florida State University.

His research interests include diversity

issues in public management, veterans’

policy, policy diffusion and higher

education policy and management. His

work appears in

Research in Higher

Education

,

Social Science Quarterly

, and

The

Journal of Technology Transfer

,

American

Review of Public Administration

,

Policy

Studies Journal

,

International Journal of

Organizational Theory & Behavior

, and

Public Administration Review

.

Email: dfay@fsu.edu

Public Administration Review,

Vol. 82, Iss. 3, pp. 420–432. © 2021 by

The American Society for Public Administration.

DOI: 10.1111/puar.13453.