Notes from the National College
the Education Division of NDAA

By Candace M. Mosley, Director of Programs

This year the National College of District Attorneys celebrates the 16th anniversary of its annual Domestic Violence Conference. The conference will be held October 22-26, 2006, in Houston, Texas. This year’s theme, “Reaching Higher Ground … Surviving the Storm,” focuses on a celebration of victories in the arena of domestic violence while not losing sight of the hard work still ahead. We will commend those initiatives and programs that have sought to spread awareness, embrace victim autonomy and increase perpetrator accountability.

As prosecutors, you face major daily challenges in corroborating victims’ claims and proving cases while keeping victims safe. Jurisdictions across the country are seeking creative strategies and “nuts and bolts” suggestions on handling these issues. Cutting-edge strategies which may improve the investigation, pretrial preparation and trial presentation of these cases by those of you on the front line include: Report Writing for Law Enforcement; Ethics and Professional Responsibility; Servicing our Elders—Domestic Violence in Late Life; Prosecuting Violations of Protective Orders; Obtaining and Maintaining Grants and Other Funding Issues; Weapons of Choice—Tips From the Firearms Examiner Regarding Weapons Used in Domestic Violence Cases; Evidence Based Prosecution and the Impact of Crawford v. Washington; Immigration Issues and Domestic Violence; Housing and Child Care Concerns; Family Justice Centers; Threat Assessment; Restorative Justice; Weapons Forfeiture; and Liability Issues. For those new to the field of domestic violence, showcases and the Resource Center (which highlight grass-roots efforts and creative concepts) and the DV101 Symposium will provide essential training. Keeping all these topics in mind, our goal is working together and “surviving the storm.”