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HomeFront Mission Statement

HomeFront Mission Statement. To Reduce Domestic Violence in Calgary through Coordinated Community Action. Why HomeFront. Traditional system does not work for domestic violence victims Only criminal offence where the victim is likely to go home with the perpetrator

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HomeFront Mission Statement

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  1. HomeFrontMission Statement To Reduce Domestic Violence in Calgary through Coordinated Community Action

  2. Why HomeFront • Traditional system does not work for domestic violence victims • Only criminal offence where the victim is likely to go home with the perpetrator • Victim impact statements submitted only 6% of the time • It’s a crime against the state and an offense to the relationship • Lengthy delays and adjournments play into the cycle of abuse • High numbers of cases dropped / dismissed without any significant interventions being applied

  3. HOMEFRONT History • 1990 Mayors Task Force Against Violence • Community Forum with Dr. Stephen Toope Feb 7, 1998 • October 29, 1999-Federal Funding Announced • January 2000-Framework and Implementation Committee • May 29, 2000 Domestic Violence Intake Court Opened • May, 2004 Provincial Roundtable on Domestic Violence and Bullying.

  4. Goals • To improve the safety and protection of victims of domestic violence. • To provide specialized domestic violence training and education. • To protect the welfare of children who live with or witness domestic violence. • To connect perpetrators and victims of domestic violence to treatment and support. • To reduce the recidivism of perpetrators of domestic violence.

  5. Government of Canada National Crime Prevention Center Department of Justice Status of Women, Canada Government of Alberta Alberta Justice /Solicitor General Alberta Children’s Services Alberta Gaming Alberta Human Resources&Employment Alberta Mental Health Board Alberta Infrastructure Funders Community Calgary Initiatives Program United Way of Calgary and Area The Calgary Foundation Alberta Law Foundation Individual and Private Foundations Action Committee Against Violence Cathedral Church of the Redeemer Selinger Golf Tourney City of Calgary Corporate Nova Corporation First Energy Capital Corporation Canadian Pacific Limited Canadian Hunter Bennett, Jones, Verchere Felesky Flynn Ogilvy & Mather Calgary Petro Canada

  6. Domestic Violence Domestic abuse is the attempt, act or intent of someone within a relationship, where the relationship is characterized by intimacy, dependency or trust, to intimidate either by threat or by the use of physical force on another person or property. The purpose of the abuse is to control and/or exploit through neglect, intimidation, inducement of fear or by inflicting pain. Abusive behavior can take many forms including: verbal, physical, sexual, psychological, emotional, spiritual, economic and the violation of rights. All forms of abusive behavior are ways in which one human being is trying to have control and/or exploit or have power over another. The Calgary Domestic Violence Committee

  7. Calgary Statistics • CPS responded to approximately 1100 domestic related calls per month in 2003 • 6 of 15 Calgary murders domestic related 2001 • Offenders represent 30% of probation case load • CPS report 50-75% of incidents alcohol or other substance use was noted • Children were noted as present in approximately 50% of all CPS calls

  8. Domestic Violence First Appearance Court • Specialized Court – dealing only with Adult Domestic Violence related offences • Specialized Staffing • 2 Crown • 2 Court Probation officers • Domestic Conflict Unit Police Officer • 4 Domestic Court Case Workers • Focus on rehabilitative sentencing for appropriate cases • Safety of all persons strongly considered

  9. Domestic Court Case Workers • 107 cases per week • Support Victims through docket court (just expanded include trial court worker) • Provide linkages through out Justice system • Do the necessary “hand holding” • Provide daily court updates • Provide voice to the victim • Follow up with external referrals

  10. Domestic Conflict UnitCalgary Police Service • Specialized unit • Established in 1997 • 10 investigators and 1 Sergeant • Review all domestic violence related reports • Identify “high risk or chronic files” • Liaise with field personnel • Conduct “risk assessment” on each file • Support the court • Quick investigations I.e. claims of residency or employment

  11. Specialized Probation Officers • Domestic violence focused caseloads • Focus on offender accountability and victim safety • Guidelines for efficient breaches • Increased awareness of and communication with treatment and support agencies • Partner Support Program

  12. Court Probation Officers • Provide prior probation history to Crown • Make initial contact with perpetrators in court • Provide referrals and recommendations regarding appropriate treatment agencies and /or conditions • Ensure offender reports to treatment within 48hrs of sentencing

  13. Specialized Crown • 2 Crown Prosecutors • Alternate days • Case load solely Domestic Violence files • Use Court Team as consultants to support their prosecutorial decisions • Fully prepared for each file • Heavy docket days will tag team – one meets with counsel while other runs court

  14. HomeFront Sample Domestic Violence Docket Court N=2000 Baseline Sample Calgary’s Docket Courts N=2000 Research Compare outcomes for victims, accused and children

  15. Results: Victim involvement improved • 96% of victims contacted prior to disposition • 71% of all victims contacted • 82.7% of stakeholders felt support was a success • Victims voices heard

  16. Results: Recidivism rate down 2/3 Baseline Sample 34% HomeFront Sample 12%

  17. Results: Quicker through courts Baseline Sample HomeFront Sample 67.5 days 37.2 days

  18. Results: Quicker access to treatment Baseline Sample HomeFront Sample

  19. Demographics • 84 percent of accused male, 82% victims female • Majority of offenders and victims between 25 and 44 years of age • 31% accused completed high school,27% victims completed high school; 12.7 accused completed university degree, 19% of victims • 53% of accused, 48% of victims employed full time, 27% & 19% unemployed • 23% of accused non-white/ non-European origins, 21% Victims • 11% Aboriginal

  20. Situation Factors • Spousal abuse majority of cases (78%) • Alcohol/ substance use were factor in 80%, 76% factor solely for the accused • Weapon used or threatened in 13% • 56% of accused had prior convictions • Dual/cross charge present in 10% of cases • Most frequent charges 80% Common Assault, Uttering Threats (20%), Breach of Recognizance/Failure to Comply (15%), Assault with a Weapon (11%)

  21. Case Processing Variables • 57% of accused appeared within 2 weeks of offence • 60% of cases resolved within 2 weeks of first appearance • Trials, out of custody, booked on average 6-8 months ahead • 65% resolved within 2 adjournments

  22. Resolutions, Dispositions, Conditions • 35% resolved via Peace Bond, 36% pled not guilty, 24% pled guilty • Common dispositions: supervised probation (29%), withdrawn (26%), suspended sentence (18%), & incarceration (14%) • Conditions: DV Treatment (77%), Alcohol/ substance treatment (52%), Abstain (37%), No contact (31%)

  23. DEMOGRAPHICS - Gender

  24. DEMOGRAPHICSEmployment

  25. DEMOGRAPHICS Education

  26. DEMOGRAPHICSAge

  27. DEMOGRAPHICSEthnic Background

  28. DEMOGRAPHICS

  29. RESULTS: THE INCIDENT

  30. RESULTS: THE INCIDENT

  31. Domestic Violence Trial Court 34% of the accused pled not guilty and proceed to trial Trial Court • 36% dismissed by Judge • 12% victims recant Domestic Violence Docket Court • 1% dismissed by Judge • 6% of victims recant

  32. RESULTS: COURT RESOLUTIONS

  33. RESULTS: COURT RESOLUTIONS

  34. Direct Cost Savings – Criminal Justice System * * Includes: Police, Prosecution, Judiciary, Corrections

  35. RESULTS: RECIDIVISM

  36. Treatment

  37. Treatment Providers • 2 agencies: Calgary Counseling Center, Sheriff King Family Violence Prevention Center • 14-18 weeks of group treatment (CCC supplements 1-4 individual sessions) • Cognitive behavioral / Psycho – education approach to treatment • Male Female facilitation teams, 8-14 members in a group • No Wait lists • Approximately $1000 / offender to complete group Tx • Approximately $480 000 / year to run mandated programs

  38. Effectiveness of Domestic Violence Treatment Dr. Kathleen Cairns

  39. Status Summary • Project began in February 2002 • Focus on: a) Assessment to support appropriate referral; and b) Treatment effectiveness. • Total assessed sample of 305 men • Total treatment completion sample 131 men.

  40. Treatment Effectiveness: New Domestic Violence Charges • Early results are influenced by short length of time since treatment (mean of 6 months) • Non-completers’ recidivism rate is 28.7% • Treatment completers’ recidivism rate is 7.6%

  41. RESULTS: TREATMENT • Over 80% of the accused made contact with the treatment agency within one month of resolution • Accused who delayed linkages with treatment, who did not show or dropped out of treatment were at a greater risk for re-offence

  42. RESULTS: TREATMENT ATTRITION & RECIDIVISM

  43. Treatment Effectiveness: Personality Assessment Inventory • Few PAI completers were low risk • At post-treatment, the completer group had significant reductions in: • Alcohol problems* (still >60T for 25%) • Aggression • Anxiety • Borderline features • Depression • Stress

  44. Treatment Effectiveness:Treatment Readiness • 50% of treatment completers reach Low Relapse stage profile; (URICA- DV) • 21.5% of completers had pre-contemplation profiles at post-test, suggesting failure to accept responsibility for behavior.

  45. Treatment Effectiveness: PAS Pre to Post-TreatmentChange SARAPre-testPost-test Low risk 14.6 11.5 Medium 18.8* 13.9 High 25.2* 15.9 *clinical cut-off for PAS is 18

  46. Characteristics of High Risk Group • Younger - 80% under 35; • More likely to plead not guilty; • Less educated - 49% did not complete high school; • Larger proportion unemployed; • Lower treatment readiness; • More PAI scales above 60T; • More have previous criminal history; and • Take longer to enter or complete tx

  47. Learnings From Sample Attrition Changes to process needed to: • assist with early identification of higher risk offenders; • provide closer supervision to those most likely to breach, including judicial review; • ensure timely service of warrants; • Ensure rapid treatment entry and timely treatment completion; and • Provide specialized trial court.

  48. Recommendations • Trial cases should be heard in a specialized court (reduce withdrawals, improve retention of higher risk offenders, improve rate of referral to treatment); • Since a number of offenders in treatment or leaving treatment still show problematic use of alcohol, it is particularly important that the work of HomeFront be coordinated with any new drug court established in Calgary;

  49. Recommendations • The frequency of alcohol abuse problems suggests that coordination of mental health and addictions treatment requires particular attention to ensure integration and continuity; • Add drug and alcohol testing as a component of domestic violence treatmentfor those with abstention conditions; and • Treatment programs should place additional emphasis on verbal abuse.

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