Domestic violence court revisited

Matt Pordum

Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2006 | 7:53 a.m.

The idea of creating a special court to curb the soaring number of domestic violence cases in Clark County is being pushed by members of the justice community -- again.

Court Executive Officer Chuck Short said the issue has re-emerged as an option in the wake of a county report last week that predicts a 118 percent caseload growth and the need for 48 new District Court judges by 2025.

"The epidemic of domestic violence cases in Clark County makes it a ripe area for change," Short said. "This is a time to look at all the pieces of the justice system, to rethink and re-energize how we handle them."

In 2002, however, the Clark County Commission also said the time was right to consider creating a domestic violence court.

The commission created a task force of representatives from municipal, justice and district courts, the district attorney's office, law enforcement agencies, the domestic violence prevention community, county administrators and Nevada Legal Services to explore ways to improve how domestic violence cases were handled.

The task force, which found that 48 organizations were involved with domestic violence cases and that every court that handled such cases operated independently of the others, recommended creation of a consolidated domestic violence court.

Assistant County Manager Elizabeth Quillin said in 2004 that the county applied for a $1 million federal grant to assist in funding a domestic violence court, but failed to receive it.

For the domestic violence court to be considered again, it will have to compete with other funding priorities in the county, Quillin said.

Susan Meuschke, executive director of the Nevada Network Against Domestic Violence, was a member of the task force.

"The Clark County commissioners need to revisit the issue and the report presented to them by the (task force)," she said.

In the roughly four years since the task force presented its findings, Meuschke said domestic violence has become an even bigger issue.

In 2004 Metro received more than 18,600 domestic violence reports, an increase of 575 cases over 2003. (Figures for 2005 were not available Tuesday.) In 2001 17,886 cases of domestic violence were reported.

In 2004 Nevada ranked fourth in the nation for homicides involving domestic violence, according to a study by Violence Policy Center, a nonprofit organization based in Washington.

Meuschke said for fiscal 2005, the network received 45,000 calls or face-to-face visits from people claiming to be victims of domestic violence across the state.

But that number reflects only those people who knew her office existed, she said.

"Given the huge population increase in the state and specifically Clark County, you have to understand how many people move here and don't have clue one that we exist," she said.

Making the numbers even more blurry is that many victims of domestic violence never call the police, her office or anyone at all, she said.

Alexandra Chrysanthis, chief deputy district attorney of the domestic violence unit, said a domestic violence court is "desperately needed."

The prosecutor said creating such a court would provide relief to the system and more specifically her strained office.

Chrysanthis said she currently has five deputies, but needs 12 to keep up with the cases flooding the courts.

Having one or two judges devoted strictly to domestic violence cases would allow her deputies to spend more time working with victims and handling cases, Chrysanthis said.

She stressed that contact with victims is crucial because most are hesitant to come forward and if they feel neglected, they may be quick to recant.

"Right off the bat, if you'd have judges who want to be there, that have an expressed interest in achieving justice in domestic violence cases, you have already won," she said.

If judges hear only domestic violence cases, they would be more familiar with repeat offenders' cases, she said. As a result, defendants will know "they better toe the line because if they offend again, the judge will remember and issue a stiffer sentence," she said.

Successful domestic violence programs not only order counseling, but include updates on an individual's progress. So the court knows "if the person is engaging in the program or sleeping through class," she said.

"In domestic violence court all parties have a vested interest," Chrysanthis said. "We all want you to succeed, we all want you to not hit anyone again."

Public Defender Phil Kohn, who as both a former prosecutor and defense attorney has handled hundreds of domestic violence cases, strongly favors a domestic violence court.

Domestic violence courts focus on "breaking the cycle of violence," he said, noting that domestic violence is a "crime that is passed on from generation to generation."

"It's important because most homicides involve family members and close relationships, so administering justice with a focus on making sure treatment is included ... is a great idea," he said.

For a domestic violence court to be effective, not only judges with an understanding of domestic violence issues are required, but also case managers and other staff to ensure that court orders are carried out, Meuschke said.

Chrysanthis said while a specialized court initially may be costly, "it's an investment in saving lives."

New York, Florida, California, Rhode Island, North Carolina and elsewhere have created domestic violence courts.

Meuschke said there are essentially two models being used for domestic violence courts: a dedicated court and a dedicated docket.

Under a dedicated court model, being used in cities such as Miami and Brooklyn, N.Y., several judges deal strictly with misdemeanor domestic violence cases. They also keep track of related cases, such as protective order violations, child custody and divorce decrees.

Such courts provide support services for victims and supervision and rehabilitation for offenders.

A dedicated docket method, which is considered less costly, involves one or two judges hearing only domestic violence cases during set periods weekly. That system is similar to Clark County's current drug and mental health courts.

San Diego recently established such a system, with one judge hearing only misdemeanor domestic violence cases Monday through Friday in the afternoon.

Matt Pordum can be reached at 474-7406 or at pordum@lasvegassun.com.