Family Violence (From Insights Into Violence in Contemporary Canadian Society, P 155-158, 1987, James M MacLatchie, ed. -- See NCJ-122437)

• NCJ Number: 122451
• Author(s): L Light
• Date Published: 1987
• Length: 4 pages
• Sale Source: John Howard Soc of Canada
• Publication Type: Legislation/Policy Analysis
• Language: English
• Country: Canada
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

British Columbia's proactive policy of charging alleged perpetrators of family violence focuses on victim-witness services as a means of gaining the victim's cooperation in case processing.

Abstract

Victim-witness services are delivered by criminal justice personnel in the course of their work. This includes information on what is and will be happening in the case and increased pretrial contact with the victim. Pretrial interviews with victims have increased the number of victims willing to pursue domestic assault cases. More funding is needed to provide victim support workers for every victim of wife assault and child abuse. All generalist criminal justice personnel are trained in the handling of wife assault cases in accordance with prosecutorial policy. Child abuse cases, on the other hand, are handled by specialists. An effective system requires the use of community agencies and a developed integrated referral network in which no one part of the system can serve victims by itself. Active referral and followup systems are required. Although the current system still has a problem with reluctant victim-witnesses, this can be mitigated through the expansion and intensification of victim-witness assistance.