NCJ Number
175487
Journal
Campus Law Enforcement Journal Volume: 28 Issue: 5 Dated: September/October 1998 Pages: 27-31
Date Published
1998
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the importance of evidence collection in developing domestic crimes cases.
Abstract
Preparing a domestic case may require an officer to recreate the scene with pictures, videotapes, 911 tapes, and careful evidence collection rather than relying on the victim statement as pivotal evidence. When a victim changes his or her version of an incident, it may become necessary to have the officer testify as to what the victim said at the time of the report. A domestic abuse worksheet (reproduced in the article) provides a written record of events and statements and may help the investigating officer draw a clear picture for the court. A solid grasp of perpetrator/victim psychology can also be essential to preparing a case well and maintaining objectivity as an interventionist. Task forces, response teams, and other types of coordinated community efforts to increase victim safety and perpetrator accountability are better than any individual interventions.