NCJ Number
161500
Date Published
1991
Length
76 pages
Annotation
This is the final report of the Washington State Domestic Violence Task Force, which was mandated by the 1990 legislature to study domestic violence issues in the criminal justice system and make recommendations for reform.
Abstract
Specific task force goals were to evaluate criminal court issues in domestic violence cases, review recommendations of the Task Force on Gender and Justice in the Courts with respect to civil court issues in domestic violence, and study the current status of services for domestic violence victims and interventions for offenders. One recommendation focuses on a coordinated, comprehensive community response. The task force recommends that each county establish a task force or commission to develop a comprehensive community response to domestic violence. Recommendations regarding criminal court issues focus on mandatory arrest with probable cause, the criminal justice response to domestic violence, and data collection. Recommendations pertinent to the criminal justice response to domestic violence address the responsibilities of the police, prosecutors, the courts, and probation. Recommendations relevant to civil court issues involve domestic violence protection orders, sanctions for violations of protection orders, mutual domestic violence protection orders, and civil domestic violence cases jurisdiction. Recommendations pertinent to services for victims and interventions for batterers focus on domestic violence legal advocates, funding for victim services, interventions for batterers, standards for batterers' treatment programs and therapists, and standards for victims' service providers.