For information
about the effectiveness of traditional handling of domestic violence in the criminal justice system, and alternatives
to conventional criminal courts, download these documents:
Examine Existing Models and Current Research:
GENERAL:
Comparison of Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan DVC models October 2005
Download File (PDF)
Comparison of Manitoba, Ontario and Yukon models (2006)
Download File (MS Word doc)
Victim Cooperation in Domestic Violence Courts 2006
Download File (MS Word doc)
Canadian Federal/Provincial/Territorial Spousal Abuse Policies & Legislation 2006
Download File (PDF)
BRITISH COLUMBIA:
Domestic Violence Courts
in British Columbia - What Are They and Are They Needed?
Download
File (MS Word doc, 129 kb)
Domestic Violence Court Options - Powerpoint presentation by Jane Coombe, Policy and Program Analyst, Public Safety and Solicitor General
Download File (PPT)
YUKON:
The Domestic Violence Treatment
Option: A Yukon Initiative
Download File (MS Word doc, 112 kb)
The Yukon DVTO Analysis Report November 2005
Download File (PDF)
Yukon Model website
http://www.yukoncourts.ca/courts/territorial/dvtoc.html
SASKATCHEWAN:
North Battleford DVTO flowchart
Download File (PDF)
Battleford DVTO Final Report 2008
Dowload File (PDF)
Partnership Between Court and Community 2006
Download file (PDF)
Saskatoon DVC Final Report 2009
Download file (PDF)
CALIFORNIA:
California Domestic Violence
Courts: A Historical Perspective
Download File
(MS Word doc, 35 kb)
California Model info
http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/programs/collab/dv.htm
California DV Courts
Download File (PDF)
Domestic Violence Courts in Rural Communities in the United States
Download File (PDF)
CALGARY:
Calgary Model Best Practices Review July 2003
Download File (MS Word doc)
NEW BRUNSWICK:
New Brunswick Model
http://www.gnb.ca/cnb/news/jus/2006e0697ju.htm
New Brunswick DVC Protocol
Download File (PDF)
ONTARIO:
Ontario Model website
http://www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/about/vw/dvc.asp
Domestic Violence Action Plan for Ontario 2006
Download File (PDF)
Victim Cooperation and Prosecution in Ontario 2005
Download File (Word doc)
Ontario DVC Model Implementation Manual 2003
Download File (PDF)
WINNIPEG:
Winnipeg Model website
http://www.manitobacourts.mb.ca/domestic_violence.html
Winnipeg Government website on the DVC
http://canada.justice.gc.ca/en/ps/fm/reports/spousal.html#22
Manitoba DVC Judicial Perspective 2005
Download File (PDF)
Manitoba Pre-trial Coordination Protocol
Download File (PDF)
AUSTRALIA:
Research on DV Courts in Australia
Download File (PDF)
MORE INFORMATION:
Bulkley Valley Lakes District
Domestic Violence Court Response (DVCR):
2005-2008
Beginning in 2004/2005, and led by Judge Jack, interested criminal justice agencies and individuals in the Bulkley Valley Lakes District developed a Steering Committee and began exploring the Domestic Violence Court concept. Each community - Hazelton, Smithers, Houston and Burns Lake - has a local steering committee comprised of representatives from various stakeholder agencies. These committees channel feedback upward to, plus receive information back from, a regional BVLD DVC Response Steering Committee that will oversee the development and maintenance of Domestic Violence Courts in each community - the base goal of the project.
The BVLD DVCR Steering Committee is a decision-making, overseeing body, and is comprised of community reps including agencies with counselors in the domestic violence field, First Nations reps, representatives from RCMP, Ministry of Children and Family Development, Crown Counsel, Community Corrections, Defense counsel, and the Judiciary.
While there are many possbilities around what a Domestic Violence Court might look like, in a nutshell they can all be considered 'problem-solving courts.' They are not a diversion from the criminal justice system, but instead an option that can be taken by those offenders who choose to take responsibility for their actions. Through the Domestic Violence Court, an offender who chooses to plead guilty very soon after being charged will be entered into a process where both he and the victim will be offered a variety of supports including specialized counseling. This fast-tracked process will be directed and overseen by criminal justice system participants including a judge, as well as other appropriate community supports like stopping the violence counselors, First Nations organizations, children's counselors, drug and alcohol counselors, victim services, mental health workers, etc.
The BVLD Domestic Violence Court Steering Committee has identified 7 stages where protocol agreements around DVC process can be developed:
Stage 1: Investigation – Protocol complete January 2010.
Stage 2: Charge Approval (Protocol for RCMP, Crown Counsel)
Stage 3: Initial Appearance (Protocol for Judge, Crown Counsel)
Stage 4: Guilty Plea (Protocol for Defence, Crown Counsel)
Stage 5: Trial
Stage 6: Sentencing/Counseling
Stage 7: Post-sentence Monitoring
2009/2010
The DVC Response committee recognizes the challenges to receiving government approval for a Domestic Violence Court process as quickly as we would like. We will continue to keep this our base goal, but will also work at many levels in our community to find ways to keep women and children safer. All of the resulting projects are part of our 'response'.
In August 2008/2009, a Progress Report was put together that outlined the BVLD DVC Response Steering Committee's work to date. PROGRESS REPORT
In late 2008 the DVCR Coordinator began working with RCMP, the BV Hospital, Passage Transition House, Ministry of Children and Family Development, and Victim Services to develop a Domestic Violence Incident Investigation Protocol.
In early 2009 one of the agencies involved in the Steering Committee, Northern Society for Domestic Peace, obtained funds to bring Risk/Threat Assessment training for RCMP officers to the community in May 2009. This one day training in risk and threat assessment around domestic violence is based on the B-SAFER tool which was co-developed by Dr. Stephen Hart. It is Dr. Hart who was the trainer in Smithers. RCMP from our four communities were invited, as well as the steering committee members and other interested agencies such as MCF, Mental Health, Probation, etc.
Stage 1 Protocol:
Smithers Domestic Violence Incident Investigation Protocol 2010
Other existing protocols in our community that tie into the collaboration and coordination of the Domestic Violence Incident Investigation protocol are:
Victim Services Protocol 2009
Varying Protective Conditions Protocol 2009
Smithers Sexual Assault Protocol 2009
Information Sharing for the Public Sector: Red Light Green Light 2010
Information Sharing for the Private Sector: Red Light Green Light 2010
Domestic Violence Victim Response in the Smithers Criminal Justice System 2010
In early 2009 the steering committee expressed interest in the coordinator taking some kind of role in working together with Community Policing to establish a Court Watch that is focused on domestic violence.
Smithers Domestic Violence Court Watch 2009/2010:
Under the umbrella of the Smithers Community Police Office, the Community Police Officer, along with the Specialized Victim Assistance worker, and a representative from the Community Coordination for Women's Safety formed a Court Watch committee. This group recruited 2 interested community members to be Court Watchers.
The focus of Court Watch is to observe and gather data on domestic violence files as they progress through the Criminal Justice System, with a goal of using our findings for educational purposes in the community. This will serve to both demystify the criminal justice system and how it works, and illuminate the social problem of domestic violence.
Smithers Domestic Violence CourtWatch Brochure
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