NCJ Number
170775
Journal
FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin Volume: 66 Issue: 10 Dated: (October 1997) Pages: 22-26
Date Published
1997
Length
5 pages
Annotation
The police agencies of Concord and Newton, Mass. have formed a partnership with a local grassroots organization called the Domestic Violence Training and Resource Institute (DVTRI) to offer victims of domestic assault a range of services while enhancing the services' accessibility to victims.
Abstract
The partnership was prompted by the police agencies' recognition of several barriers to effective services related to domestic assault in these upper middle-class communities. These barriers included victims' desire to preserve appearances, doubts that action would be taken against abusers who were influential community members, and a belief that domestic violence was not a serious problem in the community. In addition, crisis intervention services were available only during business hours. The police approached the problem from a community policing perspective and began to collaborate with DVTRI, an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization that dealt specifically with crisis intervention for victims of domestic assault. The groups pioneered a model for policies and procedures and devised training curricula that crossed traditional role lines and educated both police officers and peer advocates. The police station made space available for peer advocates around the clock. The partnership provides victim services in three ways. The enhanced services have resulted in an 80-percent decline in repeat assaults in Concord and demonstrate the benefits of combining resources. Photographs