Public Awareness
OPDV Bulletin:
The New York State Probation Domestic Violence Intervention Project
As part of a unique statewide program, the probation system in New York State is being actively engaged to more effectively confront domestic violence. The Probation Domestic Violence Intervention Project, funded under a U.S. Office of Justice Programs grant, is a collaborative effort between the Division of Probation and Correctional Alternatives (DPCA), OPDV and the New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NYSCADV). The goals of the Project are 1) to assist local probation departments in their efforts to develop local policies and procedures for dealing with domestic violence in all areas of probation practice, and 2) to support departments as they work with domestic violence advocates and others in the criminal justice system to develop consistent responses to offenders that prioritize the safety of victims while emphasizing offender accountability.
The Project has fostered significant activity in the statewide probation community during the past year. It is impressive that every department except one has voluntarily designated staff members to perform the function of Probation Domestic Violence Liaisons [PDVLS]. These individuals are the "point people" on domestic violence issues for their local departments. A series of five regional meetings was conducted last spring for PDVLs. The PDVLs were given a draft model of a Presentence Investigation package developed by the Project, which highlights specific offender accountability issues as well as victim issues to be addressed during the investigation process. A number of local departments are already using these materials to review their current investigation procedures.
The meetings also served as forums for discussion about specific offender issues, victim safety issues, and probation responses in domestic violence cases. As local probation departments review their current practices and develop new procedures, they are being encouraged to adopt a new paradigm for probation intervention. Traditional probation practice is being rethought, as the profession develops an approach specifically designed to handle domestic violence offender and victim issues.
The Role of Probation in Domestic Violence Cases
The classic "dual goals" of probation intervention have often been defined in terms of community protection and offender rehabilitation. This language does not easily fit with the priority goals of the domestic violence community: offender accountability and victim safety, and does not adequately reflect OPDV's basic principles. Our new specialized domestic violence probation intervention paradigm adopts a balanced approach. Offender accountability and victim safety are the primary case strategy objectives. Offender competency development, while always a probation consideration, is not the priority intervention issue.
This response to domestic violence perpetrators focuses on stopping the abuse and reinforces offenders' sole responsibility for their coercive and violent behaviors, while considering victim safety issues at every stage of probation intervention. Expectations of change in offender behavior are primarily addressed through accountability strategies, not through rehabilitation concerns.
We look forward to reporting on the status of the statewide probation domestic violence intervention project in the future. As a key component of the Criminal and Family Court justice systems' response to domestic violence, effective probation practice is critical to providing ongoing consequences, supervision and accountability for offenders, and to help promote safety strategies for victims. For more information on this project, please contact Bill Schaefer at 518-457-6981
