Formalizing Collaboration: Establishing Domestic Violence Memorandums of Understanding Between Military Installations and Civilian Communities

• NCJ Number: 203773
• Author(s): Laura J. Hickman; Lois M. Davis
• Date Published: 2003
• Length: 8 pages
• Corporate Author: Rand Corporation
• Sale Source: Rand Corporation
• Publication Format: Document (Online)
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Downloaded January 7, 2004.

Annotation

This issue paper discusses challenges that must be addressed in establishing memorandums of understanding with civilian communities to address joint responses to domestic violence within military families.

Abstract

Well publicized incidents of wives murdered by their military husbands at Fort Bragg during the summer of 2002 brought national attention to the problem of domestic violence in military families. Old questions about how the military can most effectively prevent and respond to domestic violence resurfaced. During the years 2000 through 2003, the Department of Defense’s (DOD) Defense Task Force on Domestic Violence (DTFDV) conducted a review of official domestic violence policies and practices at selected military installations. The results of that review provided 168 recommendations for improving domestic violence responses, including the recommendation that military-civilian collaborations on domestic violence issues should be strengthened. As such, the DOD required installation and regional commanders to establish formal memorandums of understanding with local communities to address responses to domestic violence. Key examples of the challenges involved with establishing these memorandums of understanding are discussed and revolve around the fact that civilian communities surrounding military installations have a vastly different State legal context, local political context, law enforcement practices and policies, and resource availability than do the military installations. These factors shape the way in which civilian communities respond to domestic violence. Several specific factors influencing a community’s response to domestic violence are reviewed, including the modern domestic violence reform movement, State domestic violence laws, and local enforcement of State laws. Such State and community variation provides sizeable challenges to military personnel attempting to establish meaningful memorandums of understanding with local communities. Recommendations to improve collaborative agreements between military installations and civilian communities are enumerated and include the continued programmatic support of the DOD. Further research concerning factors that facilitate and hinder collaborative relationships between military and civilian communities is called for. Endnotes