Responses : D. A. Can ‘Increase Prosecutions, Faith’

According to a study by the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services, children who grow up in an atmosphere of domestic violence have a 74% higher chance of abusing others and are 24 times more likely to commit rape--perpetuating a cycle of violence.

These statistics explain why teen domestic violence is a prevalent problem in Los Angeles. A Los Angeles Times article recently noted that 28% of high school students are in abusive relationships. This is an area where early intervention can be extremely beneficial. At present, the district attorney’s office has a videotape on domestic violence that targets adolescents. This video has been distributed to high schools in the county to educate teens about domestic violence in order to prevent the escalation of violence in their futures.

My goals as district attorney are to increase the consistency with which domestic violence cases are prosecuted throughout Los Angeles County; to increase the number of felony prosecutions; to see that judges impose appropriate sentences; to minimize the psychological impact of the criminal process on the victims, and to increase our faith in the criminal justice system’s ability to fairly and aggressively prosecute these cases. My ultimate goal, however, is to break the cycle of domestic violence; to prevent future acts of domestic violence by demonstrating to family members that physically abusing your adult partner or children is simply not to be tolerated.

To effect these goals, I hope to create a domestic violence unit with prosecutors who care about these cases and are specially trained in handling them. I would want this unit to handle all violations of domestic violence statutes, including spousal rape and stalking cases.

Second, I will institute a policy of mandatory “vertical prosecution” in all felony domestic violence cases. Under this policy, one specially trained prosecutor will handle each case from beginning to end--rather than three or more prosecutors.

All prosecutors who handle domestic violence cases will be given specialized training. We will reach out to shelter directors, domestic violence experts, family law attorneys and county counsel to assist us in education on issues such as the Battered Woman’s Syndrome, cultural awareness, dynamics unique to date violence among teens and the relationship of family law and dependency court to domestic violence prosecutions. In addition, our prosecutors will assist other agencies and organizations with training.

I am also aware of instances where a case which should have been prosecuted as a felony was prosecuted as only a misdemeanor. I plan to institute a review procedure for such cases.

Finally, as the chief law-enforcement officer in this county, I will attempt to act as a catalyst to bring together prosecutors, probation officers, judges and police officers so that a unified and determined response will, in fact, become a reality.