 Victimology: You have just returned from a meeting with the local Chief of Police. He tells you that law enforcement officers are discouraged about making arrests in the areas of domestic violence and child abuse. Lately, they have been either not making arrests in domestic violence situations or arresting both parties when they go out on a call. It seems that abused women often go back to the abusers and children who get removed from the homes where they have been abused often return to their homes after removal. As an intern with Crime Victim Compensation program you need to help educate law enforcement on domestic violence and child abuse.
The Chief invited you to do a presentation on each of these topics for their next training session. Here is what the Chief wants you to highlight:
Domestic violence: Your goal is to educate law enforcement to use best practices in the investigation of domestic abuse cases. Include the following topics
HOW TO APPROACH A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SITUATION WHEN RESPONDING TO AN EMERGENCY CALL
When the parties should be separated
How to interview parties
What information needs to be in the report and why
How best to help a victim
What laws protect victims, including the use of protection orders
Why victims return to abusers
Length of time it may take to stay away from their abusers
ARRESTS
The legal standard needed to make an arrest in a domestic violence case
What evidence should be collected at the arrest
Are dual arrests effective law enforcement?
How to deal with domestic violence victims
RELUCTANT VICTIMS
HELP FOR VICTIMS