NCJ Number
241828
Date Published
January 2013
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This report presents the results of a study that assessed the impact of the EVE (Early Victim Engagement) Project on two outcomes in criminal cases of intimate partner violence (IPV): victim participation in the prosecution of IPV offenses and convictions in these cases.
Abstract
When EVE staff members scheduled appointments for witnesses, 71 percent of witnesses came into the district attorney's (DA's) office. The percentage of witnesses who participated with the prosecution was approximately 4 percentage points higher when EVE staff scheduled appointments compared to contacts made by the DA's office. The evaluation model that predicted the likelihood of conviction showed that the EVE Project increased the conviction rate in cases of intimate partner violence (IPV). Based on these findings, this report concludes that early victim engagement in IPV cases can increase, albeit modestly, the rate at which victims participate with the prosecution in IPV cases. The EVE project's dual focus on connecting victims to services and counseling and on scheduling victims for intake appointments with the DA's office is especially important. The analysis was based on two datasets, each of which contains information about IPV cases of defendants arrested in Brooklyn, NY. The EVE Project was launched in 2008 with the goal of contacting victims of IPV in Brooklyn by telephone immediately after a defendant is arraigned in New York City's Criminal Court. The EVE staff provides victims with information about the case, the defendant's release status, and the existence of an order of protection. Project staff also provided victim/witnesses with information on services and safety planning. EVE staff also attempt to schedule appointments for victims to come into the DA's office for interviews. 7 figures