NCJ Number
153832
Journal
New England Law Review Volume: 28 Issue: 2 Dated: (Winter 1993) Pages: 313-382
Date Published
1993
Length
70 pages
Annotation
This report is the culmination of the Working Luncheon Series on Domestic Violence and includes key policy recommendations.
Abstract
To date, nine luncheons have been held that have brought together key policymakers, legislators, advocates, members of the criminal justice system and law enforcement, academicians, and representatives of the media. The goal of the luncheon series was to raise media and public awareness about the problem of domestic violence, with the intent of promoting change in public policy. Eight sessions focused on a wide range of critical issues in domestic violence: the implications of the new amendments to the 12-year-old Massachusetts Abuse Prevention Law; the granting of clemency for battered women imprisoned for killing their batterers; guidelines for the police response to domestic violence; training for all personnel in the judicial system; the need for an integrated, multidisciplinary approach to combatting 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 ninth session was a discussion of recommendations for domestic violence policy in Massachusetts. The key recommendations contained in this report are in three major areas: early intervention and prevention, the need for an integrated, multidisciplinary approach to the problem of domestic violence, and long-term strategies to protect victims and prevent further domestic violence in Massachusetts.