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Teresa Scalzo
Program Manager and Senior Attorney, Violence Against Women Program
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The United States Supreme Court case of Crawford v. Washington (2004 Lexis 1838) caused many people to ask whether evidence based prosecution is still a viable strategy. The answer is a resounding “Yes.” Crawford does not serve as the death knell for evidence based prosecutions, but rather as a wake-up call for prosecutors.
All too often victims refuse to cooperate with the criminal justice system because they do not feel safe or do not believe the system can protect them.
To achieve any long-term success in the fight against domestic violence, prosecutors must work to build a community that supports victims and helps keep them safe.
We must work with police, victim advocates, shelters, medical professionals, children's advocates, community activists, and animal shelters. We must work with the religious community, the business community, private citizens and governmental organizations.
Until communities can create a coordinated response to domestic violence, victims will continue to live in fear of their abusers. As long as victims lack faith in the system’s ability to help them, they will not voluntarily cooperate with the prosecution or take the extraordinary step of testifying in court.
By keeping victims safe and helping them to move forward with their lives, we can often empower them to make the choice to cooperate with the prosecution of their abuser.
APRI’s Violence Against Women Program’s electronic newsletter, due to begin circulation this summer, will discuss the legal aspects of evidence based prosecution and offer legal strategies for overcoming the legal challenges created by Crawford. To receive the newsletter, please contact the Violence Against Women Program at vawa@ndaa-apri.org or (703) 549-4253.
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