Implications and Recommendations to Improve Pretrial Safety for Victims of Domestic Violence
The researchers that evaluated the Judicial Oversight Demonstration[1] made the following suggestions for future research, policy discussions and practice on domestic violence safety:
- The Judicial Oversight Demonstration model is feasible and beneficial to justice agencies.
- Better coordination between partner agencies leads to improved offender accountability and greater consistency in sanctioning and sentencing.
- Referrals to batterer intervention programs do not help reduce intimate partner (domestic) violence. Justice systems should instead focus on protecting victims by monitoring offenders and quickly responding to violations with penalties.
- Courts need to improve training for judges and other individuals and organizations that interact with victims.
- Courts need to improve evidence collection systems and adopt systematic investigation methods.
- Courts and community organizations should provide services that address all issues in the victims' lives beyond the realm of the court case (e.g., victims may need mental health care or employment programs).
- Courts and community organizations need to create better housing options for victims, and better counseling and services options for children.
- Offenders given probation may need specialized services to keep them motivated to comply with probation requirements (e.g., employment programs, and better scheduling options for services and appointments with parole officers).
Notes
[1] The Judicial Oversight Demonstration was initiated by the U.S. Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women and NIJ. JOD was a field test with three main objectives: 1) provide consistent responses to domestic violence offenses, 2) coordinate victim advocacy and services, and 3) enforce strong offender accountability and monitoring. The evaluation was conducted by The Urban Institute.
Read the full report Judicial Oversight Demonstration: Culminating Report on the Evaluation and three accompanying reports:
- Final Report on the Evaluation of the Judicial Oversight Demonstration, Volume 1: The Impact of JOD in Dorchester and Washtenaw County
- Final Report on the Evaluation of the Judicial Oversight Demonstration, Volume 2: Findings and Lessons on Implementation
- Final Report on the Evaluation of the Judicial Oversight Demonstration, Volume 3: Findings From Focus Groups With JOD Victims and Offenders
