Some success has been seen with innovations in domestic violence cases through Family Court cases.
On February 21, 2013, the Humphrey Institute gave its government innovation award to the only domestic violence court for repeat offenders in the nation. See here.
In Stearns County, all seven homicides committed in the year before the program started involved a repeat offender in domestic violence crimes. Under the new program, when a repeat offender was charged with another domestic crime, the first step was an immediate consideration of the needs of any children trapped in the household, followed by counselling of the victim.
By addressing those issues first, the program cut the length and cost of these cases in half, and saved many children and other family members from the stress of testifying.
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