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Specialized Courts and Domestic Violence

NCJ Number
202929
Journal
Issues of Democracy: The Changing Face of U.S. Courts Volume: 8 Issue: 1 Dated: May 2003 Pages: 26-31
Author(s)
Kristin Littel
Date Published
May 2003
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This article explores the need for specialized court response to the crime of domestic violence, models of domestic violence courts, emergence and structure of family courts, and the extent to which they address domestic violence, and the importance of a coordinated judicial response to domestic violence.
Abstract
Since the 1970's, considerable attention has been given to raising public consciousness and improving the criminal justice system response to domestic violence. Laws have been created that acknowledge the seriousness of the crime, protect victims, and hold abusers accountable. During this same time, a parallel initiative was taking place to improve court response to families and children. In conjunction with domestic violence courts, family courts provide the judiciary with tools to improve the response to domestic violence. However, to be effective, these courts must be built on an understanding of the nature of the crime and the special concerns of its victims. Three domestic violence specialization courts are presented and include: (1) child protection order docket; (2) criminal domestic violence courts; and (3) domestic violence courts with related caseloads. There are benefits to dealing with domestic violence and family matters simultaneously, such as providing a coordinated and comprehensive response, all legal issues facing a family may be adjudicated in one courtroom, and court-ordered conditions tend to be compatible. There is an opportunity for the two types of courts to address collaboratively the myriad of problems related to domestic violence. However, it is critical that judicial systems facilitate safety for domestic violence victims and their children and accountability for batterers.