A Balanced Collaboration

Vermont's Protocol for Law Enforcement Response to Children

Jane Sadusky for BWJP

Partnership and collaboration in name only has characterized many attempts to draft protocols or working agreements and build a coordinated community response. Vermont had a different experience in building a protocol to guide law enforcement's response to children on domestic violence calls. This paper examines the process they used, including areas of agreement and uncertainty, and introduces the protocol to a wider audience of interveners. It provides a starting point for other communities to explore their own response to children at domestic violence incidents, as well as an approach that can be used to examine other aspects of intervention.

View Article » A_Balanced_Collaboration.pdf

A Balanced Collaboration

Vermont's Protocol for Law Enforcement Response to Children at the Scene of a Domestic Violence Incident

Jane Sadusky

Partnership and collaboration in name only has characterized many attempts to draft protocols or working agreements and build a coordinated community response. Vermont had a different experience in building a protocol to guide law enforcement's response to children on domestic violence calls. This paper examines the process they used, including areas of agreement and uncertainty, and introduces the protocol to a wider audience of interveners. It provides a starting point for other communities to explore their own response to children at domestic violence incidents, as well as an approach that can be used to examine other aspects of intervention.

View Article » Vermont_Model_Protocol.pdf

Abuse of Power

Provides resources for victims of law enforcement-involved domestic violence and their advocates.

View Website » http://www.dwetendorf.com/

Assisting Immigrant Victims of Domestic Violence

Law Enforcement Guide

BWJP

This guide provides a brief overview of the issues law enforcement should consider when working with immigrant communities, and in particular immigrant victims of crime by: exploring various immigration laws and terms that officers need to know; examining the challenges immigrant crime victims face navigating the justice system; identifying how officers can protect and assist immigrant crime victims while managing their enforcement role.

View Article » Immigrant_Victims_LE_Guide.pdf

Bridging Domestic Violence Intervention and Community Policing

Partnership and Problem-Solving Tools

Jane M. Sadusky

In 1999, the Battered Women's Justice Project Criminal Justice Center began working with four communities to explore the application of community policing, with its emphasis on community engagement and problem-solving, to domestic violence. BWJP and its partners set out to analyze and articulate how it might intersect with the core principles of domestic violence organizing: victim safety, offender accountability, and community change. A complete discussion of this undertaking, and a case study for each community, can be found in Community Policing and Domestic Violence: Five Promising Practices, also available at this website. The project produced and used several tools that help link domestic violence intervention and community policing principles. The ideas, concepts, and strategies summarized in the following pages are meant to encourage community-based advocates and their law enforcement allies to consider new approaches to partnership and problem-solving.

View Article » Bridging_DV_Intervention_and_Community_Policing.pdf

Case Processing of Misdemeanor Domestic Violence Cases, Year 1

Initial Police Response to Arraignment

Sharonna Lee, Kristine Lizdas, J.D., Connie Sponsler; Editor: Denise Gamache, BWJP

BWJP decided to focus its initial examination on two specific interactions, based on the chronology of case processing and in response to concerns raised by the Family Violence Coordinating Council. BWJP audited the initial police response to domestic violence calls, and the post-arrest process of releasing defendants from custody up to the arraignment. This report addresses law enforcement, bail evaluation and pre-trial release.

View Article » Case_Processing_of_Misdemeanor_DV_Cases.pdf
View Article » Case_Processing_of_Misdemeanor_DV_Cases_Appendix.pdf
View Article » Case_Processing_of_Misdemeanor_DV_Cases_Progress_Report_on_Implementation.pdf

Community Policing and Domestic Violence

Five Promising Practices

Jane Sadusky for BWJP

In 1999, the Battered Women's Justice Project Criminal Justice Center began working with four communities to examine how domestic violence intervention could move beyond the limits of the criminal justice system and develop the capacity of diverse communities to engage in active problem-solving. The intent was to explore the application of community policing, with its emphasis on community engagement and problem-solving, to domestic violence. BWJP and its partners set out to analyze and articulate how community policing principles might intersect with the core principles of domestic violence organizing: victim safety, offender accountability, and community change. This article is the summary and analysis of that project.

View Article » Community_Policing_Domestic Violence.pdf

Criminal Prosecution of Domestic Violence

Linda A. McGuire, Esq. for BWJP

This article identifies appropriate goals to be pursued in woman battering and the special challenges these cases present to prosecutors. It offers guidelines for improving collaboration between prosecutors and advocates.

View Article » Criminal_Prosecution_of_DV.pdf

Enhanced Penalties for Domestic Violence

State Statute Chart

Eve Zamora

The following is an alphabetical listing of all states that have enacted statutes enhancing penalties for domestic violence crimes. The term "enhanced penalties" as used in this document encompasses sentencing, charging, fines, protection order violations, repeat offenders and mandatory treatment. An updated 2009 version will be available soon.

View Article » Enhanced_Penalties_2005.pdf

Female Officers as Victims of Police-Perpetrated Domestic Violence

Diane Wetendorf

The purpose of this article is to increase advocates' knowledge of how the expectations and values of the female officer's profession and workplace culture influence her behavior and decisions regarding her abusive relationship.

View Article » Female_Officers_Victims_DV.pdf

International Association of Women Police

A website for women in law enforcement

View Website » www.iawp.org/

La Crosse County Domestic Violence Safety and Accountability Audit

Phase 2: Post-Arrest through Prosecution, Findings and Recommendations

Produced by the La Crosse County Domestic Violence Safety and Accountability Audit Team. Primary Contributors: Safety Audit Coordinator Dar Jaeger and Safety Audit Consultant Jane Sadusky

The La Crosse County Safety Audit - Phase 2 explored the following question: How do post-arrest and prosecution responses to domestic violence cases in La Crosse County enhance or diminish victim safety and batterer accountability? The constant focal point of any Safety Audit is the gap between what people experience and need and what institutions provide; its focus is on institutional processes, not individual workers. A trained local team conducted interviews and observations with practitioners who are skilled and well-versed in their jobs. Their knowledge of the institutional response in everyday practice and their first-hand experience with the people whose cases are being processed supplied many of the critical observations and insights of the audit. The team also reviewed case files, policies, and other documents; this report summarizes their findings.

View Article » LaCrosse_Audit_Phase_2_PostArrest_Through_Prosecution.pdf

Law Enforcement Response to Domestic Violence Calls

Jackson County, Oregon

Audit Coordinator: Jennifer Maile, Jackson County Council Against Domestic and Sexual Violence; Community Works

Audit work continued, next examining dispatch and law enforcement responses. The audit team analyzed 50 calls to two 911 centers, and a consultant and the audit coordinator analyzed 15-20 police reports of domestic violence from 7 law enforcement agencies (a total of 92 reports) for how victim safety and offender accountability are built into the response of law enforcement officers to dual allegations of violence, sexual assault, stalking, strangulation, child witnesses and individuals from underserved populations; Team members observed and interviewed practitioners, and interviewed battered women; The team and a consultant debriefed all the information, discovering together the themes, conclusions, and recommendations that appear in this report, which truly is a product of group development and writing.

View Article » Jackson_OR_Law_Enforcement_Audit_Report.pdf

Marital Rape

Kersti Yllo, Ph.D.

In order to fully and adequately respond to men who rape and women who are sexually assaulted, we must focus our attention on forced sex in marriage, not as an additional form of physical battering, but as a significant violation in and of itself, whether accompanied by other violence or not.

View Article » Marital_Rape.pdf

Model Law Enforcement Policy

Serving and Enforcing Protection Orders and Seizing Firearms in Domestic Violence Cases

National Center on Full Faith and Credit

The purpose of the Model Law Enforcement Policy is to provide policies and standard operating procedures for the following specific areas that may be encountered by a law enforcement agency: service of process/notice to Respondents of protection orders; the enforcement of protection orders that were issued by a court of another State, Indian Tribe, or U.S. territory or possession; the seizure of firearms from persons who are prohibited from possessing firearms pursuant to a protection order, State law, or Federal law; the storage and return of seized firearms; and law enforcement officers who are subject to protection orders or who have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

View Article » ModelLEPolicyFINAL.pdf

National Center for Women and Policing

A division of the Feminist Majority Foundation, the National Center for Women & Policing (NCWP), promotes increasing the numbers of women at all ranks of law enforcement as a strategy to improve police response to violence against women, reduce police brutality and excessive force, and strengthen community policing reforms.

View Website » http://www.womenandpolicing.org/

National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence

The National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence designs, provides, and customizes training and consultation; influences policy; promotes collaboration; and enhances diversity with the goal of ending domestic violence.

View Website »  http://www.ncdsv.org/

OVW Giles v. California Statement

Cindy Dyer

Office on Violence Against Women official statement on the Giles v. California case. For more information, please see the BWJP amicus.

View Article » OVW_Giles_Statement.pdf

Pretrial Release Conditions in Domestic Violence Cases

Issues and Context

Jane Sadusky

This paper examines the question of pretrial release, conditions in domestic violence cases, focusing on balance between constitutional rights of the accused and protection of victims of crime, between safety and accountability, between ensuring appearance at trial and protecting others from harm, between a consistent response and the unique aspects of each case, each person, and sometimes the balance between space in the jail and the goal of safety.

View Article » Pretrial_Release.pdf

Safety and Accountability Audit of Probation Supervision in Domestic Violence Cases

Carolyn Ham and Stephanie Avalon, edited by Denise Gamache, BWJP

Report of Hennepin County Probation Audit, findings and recommendations. The safety audit was directed toward two questions of interest: 1) Do probation officers have adequate information to enable them to refer domestic violence offenders to an appropriate batterer intervention program?, and 2) How does the communication of probation officers with domestic violence victims contribute to victim safety and offender accountability?

View Article » Safety_Accountability_Audit_Probation_Supervision_in_DV_Cases.pdf

Safety and Accountability Audit Report

Freeborn County, Minnesota

Kristine Lizdas and Rhonda Martinson, BWJP

This is the report from the first phase of the Freeborn County Safety and Accountability Audit. It explores Freeborn County's dispatch and law enforcement response to domestic violence calls.

View Article » Safety_Audit_Freeborn_County_MN.pdf

State Legislative Approaches to Bail or Pretrial Release Conditions for Domestic Violence Offenders

Carolyn Ham

This article summarizes and explains various approaches states have taken to increase victim safety through the imposition of release conditions on domestic violence offenders. A chart of state statutes is included.

View Article » State_Approaches_to_ Bail_or_Pretrial_Release_for_DV_Offenders.pdf

The International Association of Chiefs of Police

A resource site for law enforcement, including information on trainings and resources

View Website » www.iacp.org/

When Is Arrest Not An Option?

The Dilemmas of Predominant Physical Aggressor Language and the Regulation of Intimate Partner Violence

Trish Erwin

This article explores the philosophical, practical, and legal issues involved in using predominant physical aggressor language in response to addressing intimate partner violence.

View Article » When_is_Arrest_Not_an_Option.pdf

When the Batterer is a Law Enforcement Officer

A Guide for Advocates

By Diane Wetendorf

This is a comprehensive resource for any advocate working with a survivor of a batterer who is in law enforcement, including information on particular safety considerations and advocacy strategies.

View Article » Batterer_LE_Advocate_Guide2009.pdf

WomensLaw.org

Free access to legal information, including information on restraining orders, custody, divorce, immigration, and tribal law. Also, links to sheriffs' offices, and court forms and instructions on preparing for hearings, etc. All information is state-specific.

View Website » http://www.womenslaw.org/

Working Effectively with the Police

A Guide for Battered Women's Advocates

Jane Sadusky for BWJP

Battered women's advocates and police departments in several jurisdictions have been successful in developing a more effective police response to domestic assault cases. This article highlights information advocates need in order to work collaboratively and effectively with police officers and other law enforcement personnel. The author discusses the changes police officers have made regarding when and how they arrest, investigate, write reports, and how they work with and support prosecutors and victim advocates.

View Article » Working_Effectively_with_Police.pdf