Westside Domestic Violence Program to Expand to South Side
A pilot domestic violence program launched by the 14th Chicago Police District earlier this year as a collaboration between Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s office and State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez and social service providers, has shown promising results, according to information from the Mayor’s office.
The program allows police officers to use evidenced-based risk assessments to identify households at elevated risk for serious injury. If an elevated risk for injury is detected, a protocol follow-up investigation is conducted.
“The early interactions a domestic violence victim has with the system, with police, prosecutors or service providers, are crucial to helping them achieve the safety and freedom everyone deserves,” said Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “By working together to respond more effectively to our highest risk cases, and ensuring the system is set up to benefit victims in their time of need, we can all be more effective in breaking the cycle of violence.
Households at elevated risk are referred to the Illinois State’s Attorney’s, Targeted Abuser Call (TAC), a program that prioritizes prosecution of certain offenders based on their criminal background and are given to more senior prosecutors at the State’s Attorney’s Office.
“We are extremely pleased to be a partner in this unprecedented collaboration with the Mayor and the Chicago Police Department working to enhance our protection of so many vulnerable victims of domestic violence and their families,” said Alvarez. “We come together in recognition of the unique dynamics of domestic violence cases and we have hit the ground running in our efforts to identify high risk households and to improve our efforts to investigate and prosecute these cases effectively.”
Since the program’s launch in Chicago's 14th Police District, that area has reportedly seen a 9 percent increase in service connections, 53 percent increase in arrests and an 8 percent decline in prosecutions dropped by victims before final disposition.
“Our officers respond to tens of thousands of domestic calls for service each year, and visit many of those households more than once,” said Chicago Police Superintendent, Garry F. McCarthy. “These circumstances are often very dangerous for everyone involved, including the officers and our work on this pilot effort and with service providers, victims’ advocates and prosecutors, are making a meaningful change in the lives of victims.”
As the program expands, Chicago Police and the Department of Family Support Services (DFSS) and other service providers will also work together to proactively respond to households who are at elevated risk. Once those households are identified, service providers will prioritize them to offer assistance with counseling, legal services, case management, and connection with service providers.
Chicago Police responds to approximately 200,000 domestic related calls for service annually or nearly 500 domestic calls each day.
Another pilot program is scheduled for launch by the end of this year in the 3rd Police District that encompasses portions of Chicago’s south side.
Both the pilot program and its expansion are the direct result of an inter-governmental domestic violence task force launched in Dec. 2013 as a collaborative effort between the mayor, Alvarez, the Chicago Police and the DFSS.
“The combination of data-driven law enforcement coupled with social services can literally mean the difference between a victim escaping a dangerous situation and starting a new life, or staying trapped in a dangerous situation that puts her in constant jeopardy,” said DFSS Commissioner, Evelyn Diaz. “Our shared goal is to break the cycle of violence and this program and this partnership have been an important step forward.”
To report domestic abuse, call 911. For more information and support, anyone can call the domestic violence help line at 877-863-6338.
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