NCJ Number
232145
Date Published
2005
Length
98 pages
Annotation
This handbook describes the development, implementation, and operation of the Miami-Dade Dependency Court Intervention Program for Family Violence (DCIPFV) designed to address co-occurring domestic violence and child maltreatment in a dependency court setting.
Abstract
When domestic violence and child maltreatment occur within families, traditional justice and social system responses often are inadequate to deal with the challenges of these complicated cases. The Miami-Dade Dependency Court Intervention Program for Family Violence (DCIPFV), funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, Violence Against Women Office, is a unique national demonstration program designed to identify and address co-occurring domestic violence and child maltreatment in the dependency court setting. The overall mission of the program is to promote the safety and well-being of maltreated children exposed to domestic violence. The program's skilled and experienced domestic violence specialists, Advocates, screen mothers with a dependency matter after their first or second court hearing in an effort to identify indicators of domestic violence and provide intensive case management and advocacy services on a voluntary basis. This handbook addresses co-occurring domestic violence and child maltreatment, by focusing on the design, implementation, and daily operation of the DCIPFV. Divided into three parts, part one details the creation and evolution of the DCIPFV. Part two provides a comprehensive look at the daily operations of the DCIPFV and the intervention provided by the Advocates, including special considerations and protocols. Part three discusses the value of domestic violence advocacy in dependency court. Helpful information and "lessons learned" are provided to assist those interested in developing a similar intervention. Appendixes 1-11