Background
This ordinance authorizes a supplemental appropriation within the Franklin County Municipal Court for the purpose of funding positions related to probation services in the Domestic Violence Unit.
In 2016, the Franklin County Municipal Court (FCMC) made a commitment to become an evidence-based organization that follows the Risk, Needs and Responsivity Principle (RNR). The RNR principle tells the court who to target, what to target and to appropriately match offenders to programming as to avoid a one-size-fits-all approach.
The Department of Probation Services (DOPS) began a thorough review of the research and practices and began preparing for this paradigm shift. Part of the transition preparations included having the Domestic Violence Unit (DVU) conduct a thorough review of evidence based practices as they relate to the domestic violence population. The goal of this review was to identify evidence based, domestic violence specific risk tool that incorporates a differentiated supervision and programming response.
The DVU identified the Domestic Violence Risk Needs Assessment (DVRNA) as the most effective tool to address the needs of this population. In January of 2017, the DVU, as well as the current batterer intervention program (BIP) providers where trained in the administration and application of the DVRNA.
The DOPS remains committed and enthused about the potential impact of its evidence-based approaches to the supervision of DV offenders. Research has demonstrated that evidence-based treatment approach can yield a sizeable impact on recidivism (up to 30% in some studies); however, this paradigm shift has presented additional demands and challenges for the unit.
In order to provide the most effective supervision for this population and engage in risk-reduction activities in a timely manner, it is necessary to reduce the time that each officer spends on the assessment function each week. Also, in order to provide the appropriate level ...
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