The Complexity of Battered Women’s Lives

Institutional responses to domestic violence can -Mask the complexity of the lives of victims which can -Discourage victim participation in criminal cases against their abusers -Discourage battered women from seeing the legal system as a resource -Discourage battered women from following through with a proceeding which they started -Keep battered women from talking about the abuse

The 12 Features of Institutions  Fragmentation  Textually coordinated  Use of categories  Lived and institutional time  Supremacy of institutional mandate  Communication without dialogue  Discourses organize how workers think & act  Imposition of universal citizen  Obscuration of institutional failure  Diversified power  Coercion  Individuals separated from communities

Fragmentation Complex lives divided into distinct cases CrimeDivorce Child Protection Housing Welfare

Fragmentation Each case divided into processing steps Crime 911 Call Police Investigation Pre-Trial Trial Sentencing Arraignment

Each step divided into sub-steps 911 Call Victim calls Get info from caller Look up info on parties/address Assign call to dispatcher Officers respond Provide officers info Notified when officers arrive Communication accessed by patrol supervisor Reproduced and put in case file

Each step and sub-step assigned a specialist Fragmentation (Specialization) 911 Call Police Investigation Arraignment Pre-Trial Trial Sentencing 911 Operator Officer Judge Prosecutor Defense Atty. Prosecutor Judge Prosecutor Defense Atty. Probation Officer

Fragmentation (decontextualizing) Each event is a separate case

Praxis – Rural Technical Assistance on Violence Against Women

911 Call Squads Investigate ArrestNo Arrest Arrest Report Non-Arrest Report Jail Arraignment Hearing No Contact Order Conditions of Release Pre-Trial/ Hearing TrialSentencingMonitoring/ Probation DOMESTIC VIOLENCE/ ARREST INCIDENT Praxis – Rural Technical Assistance on Violence Against Women

Initial Intervention Unit Contacted Child Protection Screening CP Investigation Child Welfare Assessment Child Maltreatment Assessment Law Enforcement Notified Risk Assessment Service Plan Safety Plan CP Case Mgmt CD Assessment Psych/Mental Health Parenting Education Visitation Individual/Family Therapy DV Classes Emergency Placement EPC Hearing Safety Assessment CHIPS COURT Court Oversees and Sanctions Plan Child Placement CHILD PROTECTION MAP Praxis – Rural Technical Assistance on Violence Against Women

Landlord/HRA Notified Warning Given Eviction Hearing Sheriff Evicts HOUSING MAP Praxis – Rural Technical Assistance on Violence Against Women

Advocacy Program Files OFP Seeks Shelter Ex Parte Granted Sheriff Serves Respondent Ex Parte Denied Judge Reviews Civil Court Hearing OFP Granted OFP Denied Reliefs Granted OFP Filed ORDER FOR PROTECTION – CIVIL COURT PROCESS Supervised Exchange/ Visitation Praxis – Rural Technical Assistance on Violence Against Women

CUSTODY MAP Supervised Exchange/ Visitation Files for Divorce Family Court Hearing Final Divorce Hearing Custody Evaluation Interviews by Evaluator Custody Awarded Child Support Established Custody Hearing Temporary Custody Praxis – Rural Technical Assistance on Violence Against Women

Advocacy Program Landlord/HRA Notified Warning Given Eviction Hearing Sheriff Evicts 911 Call Squads Investigate ArrestNo Arrest Arrest Report Non-Arrest Report Jail Arraignment Hearing No Contact Order Conditions of Release Pre-Trial/ Hearing TrialSentencingMonitoring/ Probation Files OFP Seeks Shelter Ex Parte Granted Sheriff Serves Respondent Ex Parte Denied Judge Reviews Civil Court Hearing Initial Intervention Unit Contacted Child Protection Screening CP Investigation Child Welfare Assessment Child Maltreatment Assessment Law Enforcement Notified Risk Assessment Service Plan Safety Plan CP Case Mgmt CD Assessment Psych/Mental Health Parenting Education Visitation Individual/Family Therapy DV Classes Emergency Placement EPC Hearing Safety Assessment CHIPS COURT Court Oversees and Sanctions Plan Child Placement OFP Granted OFP Denied Reliefs Granted OFP Filed Supervised Exchange/ Visitation Files for Divorce Family Court Hearing Final Divorce Hearing Custody Evaluation Interviews by Evaluator Custody Awarded Child Support Established Custody Hearing Temporary Custody Praxis – Rural Technical Assistance on Violence Against Women