A recent survey about public attitudes toward domestic violence shows most state residents recognize that the problem is serious, and often close to home.
Category: Domestic Violence
Domestic Violence: a City Responds —
A special reporting project in the Fall 2012 edition of the San Francisco Public Press, Domestic Violence: a City Responds exposes holes in the tracking of criminal cases and the rate of prosecution for abuse within the home. The issue made headlines this year with a contentious criminal case against Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi. But we found that the District Attorney’s Office prosecutes fewer cases per capita than in any county in the Bay Area, and police say they cannot be sure of the accuracy of at least eight years of investigative records.
Posted inDomestic Violence, Law & Justice
California’s Court Reporter Shortage Limits Access to Justice in Domestic Violence Cases
Advocates for women’s and children’s rights say providing free or low-cost access to transcripts in hearings is key to equal justice. Unlike many states, California has in recent years repeatedly failed to guarantee adequate documentations of court proceedings, putting victims of domestic violence at a distinct legal disadvantage.
Despite failing for years to make transcripts standard practice, the Legislature may be headed for a breakthrough.
Posted inCalifornia, Coercive Control, Domestic Violence, Government & Politics, Law & Justice
Children Violently Removed by Court Order Celebrate New California Bill Prohibiting Practice
Two children who were violently removed from their grandmother’s Santa Cruz home in October 2022 and placed into a court-ordered program to recant parental abuse allegations celebrated a victory last month when Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill prohibiting such programs.
On Oct. 13, Maya, 16, and Sebastian Laing, 12, and their allies celebrated the passage of Senate Bill 331, aka Piqui’s Law, which prohibits California family court judges from forcing kids into so-called reunification camps and ensures that judges and those serving as expert witnesses undergo critical training on domestic violence and child custody.
Posted inCalifornia, Domestic Violence, Law & Justice, Public Safety
State Bill to Keep Children Safe in Custody Battles Passes First Hurdle
California’s Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday night unanimously endorsed a bill that would require what children’s advocates describe as crucial reforms to ensure children are safe amid contentious custody proceedings.
Posted inDomestic Violence, Law & Justice, Public Safety, Social Justice
Domestic Violence Case that Spurred San Francisco Reforms Comes to a Close
The high-profile murder of Claire Joyce Tempongko more than 12 years ago showed just how ineffective the city was at dealing with domestic violence cases, spurring an investigation of the city’s enforcement of domestic violence policy. Now the state Supreme Court has reinstated the second-degree murder conviction of her ex-boyfriend.
Posted inCity Hall, Domestic Violence, Public Safety, Social Justice
Domestic Violence Record-Keeping Still Flawed, but Police Say Fix Is Near
Some cases were not referred immediately to Special Victims Unit
This story appeared in the Spring print edition of the San Francisco Public Press.
Nine months after the San Francisco Police Department fully implemented a new digitized case management system, inspectors were still finding as many as 20 domestic violence cases per month that were not immediately referred to the Special Victims Unit for investigation, said a lieutenant in charge of the domestic violence team.
Posted inCity Hall, Domestic Violence, Law & Justice, Public Safety, Social Justice
City makes move to increase awareness of domestic violence
Supervisor Eric Mar Monday unveiled new efforts to raise awareness about domestic violence. Working with the Department on the Status of Women, Mar focused on working through the city’s workforce to educate the public and to help those city employees who are victims themselves.
Posted inCity Hall, Domestic Violence, Law & Justice, News, Open Government, Public Safety, Social Justice, Social Services
Q&A: The Role That Culture Plays in the Response to Domestic Violence
Orchid Pusey, interim director of the Asian Women’s Shelter in San Francisco, says cultural differences can have a big influence on the attitudes and responses to domestic violence. She talked with San Francisco Public Press reporter Ruth Tam about the challenges facing service providers in the city. This story appeared as part of a special report on domestic violence in the Fall 2012 print edition of the San Francisco Public Press.
Posted inCity Hall, Domestic Violence, Law & Justice, News, Open Government, Public Safety, Social Justice, Social Services
Mirkarimi Case Brought Spotlight to Domestic Violence in San Francisco
As the city’s Ethics Commission debated whether Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi was fit to hold his elected position this past June, the complex game of personality, politics and procedure eclipsed larger policy questions about the city’s approach to handling thousands of cases of domestic violence each year. But advocates for victims said the hearings generated wider awareness of the problem of domestic violence.
Posted inCity Hall, Domestic Violence, Public Safety
District Attorney to Examine Low Prosecution of Domestic Violence Cases in San Francisco
San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón said he is looking into why office’s prosecutions for domestic violence crimes was the lowest per capita in the Bay Area. His remarks came after a special report in the San Francisco Public Press on the handling of such cases by police and prosecutors.