NCJ Number
196349
Date Published
2001
Length
84 pages
Annotation
This handbook was written as a reference guide for Ohio judges, magistrates, law enforcement officers, attorneys, court personnel, and domestic violence service providers for use in their decision-making when there are allegations of domestic violence in legal and courtroom proceedings.
Abstract
The goal of this benchbook is described as stopping the cycle of violence. It contains reports on current scientific and legal research; discusses applicable Federal laws, with emphasis on firearms and restrictions; contains general information about the dynamics of domestic violence; sprinkles best practice suggestions throughout the text; and highlights the importance of safety concerns that accompany the legal issues in all cases involving allegations of domestic violence, while placing each court proceeding into its larger context. Three courtroom scenarios where domestic violence is an issue are included which focus on criminal proceedings, protection order proceedings, and parenting proceedings, in particular. Endnotes are provided to guide future research, with particular reference to "Ohio Domestic Violence Law," by Ronald Adrine and Alexandria Ruden. Chapters include professional competence, criminal jurisdiction courts, civil protection orders, children and violence, stalking protection orders, lethality factors, weapons, evidentiary issues, counseling, victim advocates, Violence Against Women Act, mediation, and help. A quotation expresses the concerns addressed by this benchbook: "The problems caused by ineffective or overzealous prosecutorial policies and the information-sharing failures of the conventional courts are not the only systemic obstacles victims of domestic violence must surmount. In addition, intimate abuse complainants must face a deeply-ingrained hostility often exhibited by court clerks and judges."