Authors: Wells, L., Boodt, C., Kneebone, R.

Date: February 2026

This one-page Social Policy Trends publication from The School of Public Policy and Shift: The Project to End Domestic Violence focuses on the costs of male domestic violence perpetration for Calgary’s police and justice systems. It provides a breakdown of the policing costs associated with only the most serious criminal charge laid against each of the 934 men who were charged with domestic violence in 2019 by the Calgary Police Service. The research finds that all 2,400 criminal charges laid against the 934 men, including the cost of police encounters not resulting in a criminal charge, exceed a public cost of $29.5 million. The authors suggest that intervening earlier with domestic violence offenders is highly cost-effective and reduces future acts of violence perpetration.

You can access the complimentary report on the cost of domestic violence perpetration here.