NCJ Number
193313
Journal
Topics in Community Corrections Dated: 2001 Pages: 40-42
Date Published
2001
Length
3 pages
Annotation
After tracing the history of the development of the Prince William Domestic Violence Prevention Council (Virginia), this article outlines the Council's achievements to date and the areas in which it plans to make progress in the upcoming year.
Abstract
The Prince William County Community Criminal Justice Board, which is composed of the heads of criminal justice agencies in the county, held a public hearing on domestic violence in October 1998. In response to the information obtained at this hearing, the Board appointed a subcommittee chaired by the chief magistrate and including three police chiefs, the sheriff, and a chief judge. The local community corrections agency and other domestic violence service providers also participated in the subcommittee meeting held in November 1998. The subcommittee recommended the establishment of a Greater Prince William Domestic Violence Prevention Council, to be composed of representatives of all agencies with an interest in domestic violence. This Council was established in 2000, with the goals of developing domestic violence protocols and recommending ways to improve the community's response to domestic violence. The local community corrections agency and the local domestic violence program volunteered to lead the initiative. Achievements of the Council to date include ensuring that protective orders are entered into the Virginia Crime Information network; ensuring that the respondent's compliance is monitored; ensuring the availability of domestic violence resources in Spanish; and ensuring the existence of an effective outreach program, the inclusion of civil protective order issues by probation officers in supervising domestic violence offenders, and the targeting of repeat offenders for felony convictions. There have also been accomplishments in education, communications, and support-building. In the upcoming year, progress is planned in dealing more effectively with repeat abusers; bringing victim intervention services into the court process earlier; examining the relationship between child protective services and spousal domestic violence; considering the connections between substance abuse, sexual abuse, and domestic violence; and considering becoming a 501(c) organization in order to obtain funds for advancing Council goals.