the likelihood that cases of partner or nonpartner violence will result in a conviction is just to per cent in all studied countries except for poland which had a per cent conviction rate in many jurisdictions criminal justice professionals at the various stages of the criminal justice system act as gatekeepers not allowing what they consider as weak cases to enter the next level however in some countries this gatekeeper role might be restricted by laws or policies for example mandatory or proarrest prosecution policies in cases involving violence against women