000			03785nab a2200349Ia 4500
999			_c2824 _d2824
001			113643
005			20250625151228.0
008			110331s2005 eng
040			_aWSS _dAFV
100			_aStewart, Julie _92155
245			_aSpecialist domestic/family violence courts within the Australian context _cStewart, Julie
260			_bAustralian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse _c2005
300			_a40 p. ; computer file : PDF format (300Kb)
365			_a00 _b0
500			_aADFVC issues paper, 2005, no. 10
500			_aHosted on this website with permision (18/5/2016).
520			_aThis Australian paper outlines the theoretical and other issues identified in the literature which have informed the establishment of domestic violence courts, and describes the development of domestic violence courts in Australia. The author stresses that the genesis of specialist domestic violence courts is based in observance of the rights, needs and interests of victims of domestic violence to be safe and free of further violence, intimidation and harassment. The origin of specialist domestic violence courts is described and put in the context of the numerous inadequacies (described in the paper) of mainstream criminal justice processes for dealing with domestic violence with the interests and safety of victims as the central focus. The various models of specialist domestic violence courts are described. These have in common a stated focus on the safety and interests of victims, and the goals of improving the police response to domestic violence in order to bring matters before the courts and to increase prosecution rates and guilty pleas. The research shows that the benefits of specialist domestic violence courts are in the strength of the process of integrating service and legal responses to domestic violence. The author concludes that there would be great value in the establishment of appropriately resourced specialist domestic violence courts. The key to the successful operation of specialist domestic violence courts is the development of carefully researched and negotiated protocols and procedures, including processes for court case tracking and case management hearings. There are also major challenges in upgrading police practice in domestic violence cases to significantly higher quality of intervention and investigation, and in sustaining these major changes over time. External independent evaluation of the program is critical. The author also identifies a risk that the movement to set up specialist domestic violence courts might be derailed by the doctrine of 'therapeutic jurisprudence', with its focus on the well-being and healing of offenders. It is noted that there is scant research on recidivism by domestic violence offenders and what prevents domestic violence, with the benefits of prevention of reoffending yet to be measured; however, the cost of domestic violence to Australia in 2002- 2003 was _8.1 billion. The author notes that caution needs to be taken in the development and implementation of specialist domestic violence courts in Australia to avoid any perception of a softening of the legal response to perpetrators of domestic violence.
522			_aau
650	2	7	_2FVC _aDOMESTIC VIOLENCE _9203
650	2	7	_aFAMILY LAW _9244
650	2	0	_aFAMILY VIOLENCE COURTS _910827
650	2	7	_2FVC _aINTERVENTION _9326
650	2	7	_2FVC _aJUSTICE _9333
650	2	7	_aINTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE _9431
650	2	7	_aOFFENDERS _9413
650	2	4	_aVICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE _9624
651		4	_aAUSTRALIA _92597
773	0	3	_tADFVC issues paper, 2005, no. 10
830			_aADFVC issues paper _95514
856			_uhttps://files.vine.org.nz/koha-files/3530_Issuespaper_10.pdf
942			_2ddc _cBRIEFING