NCJ Number
150583
Date Published
1993
Length
179 pages
Annotation
This report culminated a 2-year series of working luncheons cosponsored by the Massachusetts Attorney General and the Harvard University School of Public Health, Center for Health Communications.
Abstract
The sessions, attended by key policymakers, legislators, advocates, members of the criminal justice system and law enforcement, the media, and academics focused on a wide range of issues related to domestic violence. The topics covered included implications of new amendments to the State's Abuse Prevention law, the granting of clemency for battered women who kill their abusers, guidelines for the police response to domestic violence, training for all judicial system personnel, the need for an integrated approach to preventing domestic violence, the role of the medical community in identifying and assisting victims of abuse, the implications of the family preservation concept for battered women and their children, and the efficacy of batterers' treatment programs. The final session was devoted to garnering recommendations for domestic violence policy in Massachusetts. The recommendations focused on three major areas: early intervention and prevention, the need for a multidisciplinary approach to domestic violence, and long-term strategies to protect victims and prevent further domestic abuse.