New domestic violence court launches in New Orleans
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A new program aimed at reducing recidivism among domestic violence offenders launches in New Orleans on Friday.
Why it matters: Reports of domestic violence are on the rise in the city, but rehabilitative measures for convicted offenders may help bring those numbers back down.
By the numbers: Domestic violence has been on the rise nationally since the coronavirus pandemic began.
- The National Domestic Violence Hotline reported last year that it was getting a record high of about 80,000 calls per month.
- According to its own data analysis, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune reports the local 911 call center received more than 1,200 domestic violence calls in May, more than at any other time in 12 years.
What's happening: New Orleans Criminal Court judges Rhonda Goode-Douglas and Juana Lombard are launching a "domestic violence court," a kind of diversion program requiring some offenders to undergo additional check-ins, potential drug testing and classes as part of their probation.
- Judges will consider survivor input, Goode-Douglas tells Axios, and the court programming will allow them to "keep an eye on individuals that are deemed high risk for recidivism and give us an opportunity to hopefully prevent them from reoffending."
- "It's designed to be rehabilitative," she added, and specially assigned counselors will identify what sort of programming will offer the best fit for each offender.
- The court is supported through a federal grant and modeled after similar efforts in Oklahoma and Idaho.
Yes, but: Research shows that domestic violence courts have mixed results.
- After Tulsa began a domestic violence court program, more domestic violence offenders were reported to comply with probationary requirements.
- However, in a 2009 analysis of recidivism rates among 10 domestic violence courts, one researcher reported that three courts had "small to significant reductions in re-arrests," two had mixed results and five had no changes.
In New Orleans, about 100 cases have already been tagged for the new program.
- "This is a huge problem in our community, so we want to do what we can to make the community better," Goode-Douglas says.