“Safety and Justice: A Call for Reform
in Domestic Violence Arrest, Prosecution and Treatment Policies”
Videos from the ADVIP 4th International Conference, October 12, 2022
6 CEUs for MFTs, LCSW’s and LPCs
6 MCLEs for Attorneys
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PART 1
AM1: The Current System: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Presenters: John Hamel & Brenda Russell
AM2: A Review of the Contemporary Research Evidence
Presenters: Elizabeth Bates & Nicola Graham-Kevan
PART 2
AM3: The Impact of Current Policies on Ethnic Minority and LGBTQ Populations
Presenters: Samuel Aymer & Adam Messinger
AM4: Domestic Violence and Child Custody
Presenters: John Hamel & Edward Kruk
PART 3
PM1: Proposals for Arrest and Prosecution Reform
Presenters: Jennifer Cox & Alesha Durfee
PM2: Treatment Alternatives: An Overview
Presenters: Jesse Hansen & Sandra Stith
PART 4
PM3: Restorative Justice, Part 1
Presenters: Briana Barocas & Krystal McLeod
PM4: Restorative Justice, Part II
Presenters: Blanca Acosta, Mary Helen Maley, Martha McLafferty & Rei Shimizu
TO OBTAIN CEU CERTIFICATE: Submit evaluation form, available from John Hamel, at johnmhamel@comcast.net
ABSTRACTS AND PRESENTER BIOS
AM1: The Current System: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Presenters: John Hamel & Brenda Russell
Over the past 40 years, a great deal of progress has been made in lowering rates of domestic violence in our communities. This progress has been uneven, however, due to continuing misconceptions about the causes and dynamics of domestic violence, which include an exaggerated focus on males as perpetrators and females as victims, as well as a heavy-handed law enforcement response that compromises basic due process rights of criminal defendants without necessarily increasing victim safety. Drawing upon research findings presented in their upcoming book, Gender and domestic violence: Contemporary legal practice and intervention reforms (Oxford University Press, 2022), the presenters seek to inform and guide prosecutors, criminal defense attorneys, policy makers, victim advocates, and intervention providers in helping to rectify those shortcomings.
John Hamel, Ph.D., LCSW, has worked with family violence perpetrators and victims since 1992. He has edited three books on family violence, including Gender and Domestic Violence: Contemporary Legal Practice and Intervention Reforms (Oxford University Press, 2022), and is the author of Gender-Inclusive Treatment of Intimate Partner Abuse, 2nd Edition (Springer, 2014). Dozens of his research articles have appeared in peer-reviewed journals, and he is currently Editor-in-Chief of the scholarly publication, Partner Abuse. Dr. Hamel regularly speaks at conferences on domestic violence, provides professional trainings to various organizations, and has provided case consultation and expert witness testimony.
Dr. Brenda Russell is a Professor of Psychology at The Pennsylvania State University, Berks. Her scholarly interests include psychology and law, perceptions of victims and perpetrators of domestic violence, homicide defendants, and the social psychological and cognitive aspects of jury decision making. She is particularly interested in how gender and sexual orientation play a role in evaluating and responding to perpetrators and victims in cases of intimate partner violence, rape, sexual coercion, and sexual harassment. She is a fellow at the Midwestern Psychological Association and received the Eisenhower Award for distinguished teaching at Penn State University. Dr. Russell also provides expert testimony in homicide cases and serves as consultant and program evaluator for various federal and state educational, law enforcement, justice, and treatment programs.
AM2: A Review of the Contemporary Research Evidence
Presenters: Elizabeth Bates & Nicola Graham Kevan
Over the past 50 years there has developed a wealth of literature exploring intimate partner violence (IPV). This talk aims to present what we currently know about the prevalence, causes and dynamics of IPV. This will involve an exploring the prevalence of IPV, the dynamics of IPV, including bi-directional or mutual abuse, the development of typologies (e.g., Johnson, 1995), risk factors and antecedents of IPV perpetration, and the consequences of IPV for victims and families. There will also be an exploration of where these issues involve similarity and difference across gender, drawing on a wide range of academic research, including specifically from the Partner Abuse State of Knowledge research and national population data such as the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (USA) and the Office for National Statistics UK data on domestic abuse.
Dr Elizabeth Bates joined University of Cumbria (UoC) in January 2011 and is currently Principal Lecturer in Psychology and Psychological Therapies and within the Institute of Health. Liz’s doctoral work (2008-2012) focused on exploring the personality and psychopathological predictors of men’s and women’s partner violence perpetration. Since 2012, she has focused her work on exploring the experiences of male victims of domestic abuse. Liz is also a trustee of the charity ManKind Initiative, a UK based charity supporting male victims of domestic abuse, and is the Chair of the Male Psychology section of the British Psychological Society.
Nicola Graham-Kevan, Ph.D., is a psychologist and professor of criminal justice psychology at the University of Central Lancashire in Preston, England. She is also a professor of clinical psychology at the Mid Sweden University in Östersund, Sweden. She conducts research on aggression, domestic violence, stalking, victimisation, psychological trauma and post-traumatic growth. Professor Graham-Kevan is the Director of TRAC Psychological Limited (tracpsychological.co.uk) where she develops and delivers behaviour change programmes, training and evaluations. She also works clinically designing interventions for offenders with emotional management or aggression management problems.
AM3: The Impact of Current Policies on Ethnic Minority and LGBTQ Populations
Part One: DV Interventions with Black and Brown Men
Presenter: Samuel Aymer
As a historical fact, Black and Brown men living in the United States must manage and cope with race-based stress that emanates from bias, injustice and stigma. Given this premise, this workshop will address a range of ethnocultural and psychological issues, which mars the lived experiences of Black and Brown men who are impacted by domestic violence. It will focus on the ways in which oppressive forces inform this group’s psychosocial development and prevent them from examining their subjective views of relational violence, masculinity and male privilege. Such intersectional factors as social injustice, gender expression, ethnicity, culture and social class will be explored, with implications for arrest, prosecution and treatment policies.
Samuel R. Aymer, PhD, is Associate Professor at the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College. For over twenty-five years, he worked as a therapist treating children, women and men impacted by partner abuse. His research and scholarship center on the multiple ways in which IPV affects the psychosocial needs of children and adults, as well as the application of clinical work with diverse client populations. His recent book, “Intimate Partner Violence: Clinical Interventions with Partners and their Children,” expands the discourse, arguing that IPV is a complex psycho-social-political-relational problem that must be understood from a multi-theoretical perspective.
Part Two: Queering Domestic Violence Policy & Service Provision
Presenter: Adam M. Messinger
The experience of domestic violence for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in the United States is integrally shaped by cis-heteronormativity: the assumption throughout much of U.S. history that the experiences and needs of cisgender-heterosexual people are the “norm” that should be centered when constructing policies and services. Consider that public policy in many states continues to erode the basic human rights of LGBTQ people – through either the absence of anti-discrimination laws or the introduction of actively-discriminatory laws, regarding public accommodations, employment, housing, health care, government-issued identification, education, adoption, and, until very recently, marriage – and that this erosion of rights has generated unique tactics for abusers and potent help-seeking barriers for their LGBTQ survivors. Moreover, laws and services designed specifically to address domestic violence have historically been cis-heteronormative, often overlooking the unique experiences and needs of LGBTQ survivors in criminal statutes, protective order requirements, intake and screening protocols, emergency shelter services, mental health treatment modalities, service referrals, batterer intervention programming, and more. This presentation reviews these gaps, while also drawing upon the extant research literature to highlight best practices in “queering” (or making more LGBTQ-inclusive) domestic violence policy and service provision.
Adam M. Messinger, PhD (he/him/his), is an associate professor of justice studies, as well as women’s, gender and sexuality studies, at Northeastern Illinois University, where he researches intimate partner violence in the relationships of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people (LGBTQ IPV). He is the coeditor of Transgender Intimate Partner Violence: A Comprehensive Introduction (Messinger & Guadalupe-Diaz, 2020, New York University Press) and author of LGBTQ Intimate Partner Violence: Lessons for Policy, Practice, and Research (Messinger, 2017, University of California Press)—books that offer an in-depth look at the last forty years of LGBTQ IPV research, and which draw evidence-based tips for future public policy and service provision.
AM4: Domestic Violence and Child Custody
Part One: Family Law and Domestic Violence: An Overview
Presenter: John Hamel
Family Courts will prevent or severely limit child custody when a parent has engaged in some form of family violence. When allegations are credible and supported by the evidence, change in custody may be in the best interests of the child; however, some parents fabricate or exaggerate claims of abuse in order to gain a custody advantage, an example of Legal and Administrative Aggression (LA), which is in itself a form of psychological abuse and coercive control. Unfortunately, family court professionals often make poor decisions, due to an inadequate understanding of the issues. This presentation provides an overview of the current research on family violence as it pertains to child custody cases, and recommendations for family court personnel on how to make custody decisions that are indeed in the “best interests of the child.”
Part Two: Parental Alienation as a Form of Domestic Violence: Needed Reforms in Child and Family Law, Policy and Practice
Presenter: Edward Kruk
This presentation will examine the core elements of parental alienation as a form of domestic violence, both partner abuse and emotional child abuse, and strategies for addressing parental alienation, in which a four pillar approach to dealing with the problem will be articulated. These four pillars consist of a child protection response, prevention and family law intervention, individual and family treatment, and criminal law intervention. A multifaceted approach is needed to deal with this complex social problem created largely by adversarial legal systems of family separation, as solutions need to be both individual and systemic, entailing both micro and macro-level interventions.
Edward Kruk, MSW, PhD, is Associate Professor of Social Work at the University of British Columbia, specializing in child and family policy, who also practices family mediation in Vancouver. His research has focused on co-parenting after divorce, family mediation, and parental alienation, and he has over 40 years of clinical and community work experience as a professional social worker. He has published five books and a wide variety of articles on these subjects in academic and professional journals, has been recognized for his service to children and families with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal, and is the Inaugural President of the International Council on Shared Parenting.
PM1: Proposals for Arrest and Prosecution Reform
Presenters: Jennifer Cox & Alesha Durfee
Many clinicians and scholars of intimate partner violence highlight the need for major reforms to legislation and policies that govern the criminal adjudication of domestic violence (DV). This presentation will cover current models of DV arrest and prosecution, including the ineffectiveness of these models in serving the complainant and defendant. We highlight how myths and stereotypes about DV drive adjudication policies. In addition, we identify systemic flaws that impact individuals who interact with the criminal legal system within the context of DV. We then explore potential reforms including improving protection orders, abolishing mandatory arrests, encouraging deflection, eliminating prosecutorial “no-drop” policies, screening defendants for trauma and victimization, and increasing diversion programming. We will review the empirical research supporting these reforms and highlight areas of needed research.
Jennifer Cox, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology at The University of Alabama and the Co-Director of the Southern Behavioral Health and Law Initiative. Dr. Cox’s research focuses on the intersection of psychology and legal decision making, with expertise in forensic mental health assessment, prosecutorial discretion, and the role of demographic and individual differences in legal decision making. Dr. Cox has published over 50 articles in scholarly and trade journals and regularly provides training for attorneys regarding psychology and the legal system. Dr. Cox is also licensed in the state of Alabama and maintains a forensic practice.
Dr. Alesha Durfee is Professor and Chair of Women's and Gender Studies at St. Louis University and has a PhD in Sociology from the University of Washington. Her research focuses on legal interventions in cases of domestic violence, including mandatory arrest laws and civil protection orders, as well as victim service needs and victimization rates among community court defendants. She has received funding for her research from the National Institute of Justice, National Science Foundation, Center for Victim Research, Bureau of Justice Statistics, and was a finalist for a Fulbright to do cross-national research on community courts at the University of Technology Sydney Faculty of Law. Her work has been published in journals such as Violence Against Women, Journal of Interpersonal Violence, Journal of Family Violence, International Review of Victimology, and the Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment, and Trauma. Prior to her professorships, she worked with the Seattle Police Department's Victim Support Team as a volunteer advocate.
PM2: Treatment Alternatives: An Overview
Part One: Forging New Frontiers: Considering Evidence-based Practices in Domestic Violence Offender Intervention and Treatment
Presenter: Jesse Hansen
A growing body of research shows promise behind the use of evidence-based practices (EBP) in domestic violence treatment and intervention. Calling upon the principles of Risk, Needs, and Responsivity (RNR) and the Principles of Effective Intervention (PEI), the field is at a crossroads in defining the next era of programming for individuals who engage in intimate partner violence. Emerging questions about how to define risk, how to differentiate treatment needs, how to measure change, and what defines effectiveness are central to establishing legitimacy in the treatment of offenders. This session will review the recent literature and contextualize how the RNR principles are utilized in the Colorado Standards for Domestic Violence Offenders. This presentation will also share other recent developments in other states and jurisdictions. Limitations and implications for policy-makers and practitioners will be discussed in addition to anticipated changes to the Colorado Standards to promote greater adherence to the PEIs.
Jesse Hansen, MPA, serves as the Program Manager for the Domestic Violence Offender Management Board (DVOMB) in the Colorado Department of Public Safety (CDPS). With a background in policy and research, Jesse has worked for CDPS in different capacities since 2011 related to the development of Standards for the evaluation, assessment, and treatment of offenders. Jesse is passionate about integrating evidence-based practices into programs related to the management and treatment of sex offenders and domestic violence offenders. He is appointed to the Sex Offender Management Board and the Colorado Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board. Additionally, Jesse Hansen has presented nationally at the Domestic Violence Symposium, the Association for Domestic Violence Intervention Programs (ADVIP), the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers (ATSA) Conference, and the National Adolescent Perpetration Network (NAPN) Conference. He has co-authored several publications on juveniles who commit sexual offenses and the management of domestic violence offenders.
Part Two: Working Safely With Couples Experiencing IPV Who Choose to Stay Together
Presenter: Sandra Stith
Clinicians face difficult decisions about treatment when couples report Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). This presentation will identify best practices regarding screening and assessment for appropriateness of couple’s therapy with those who have experienced IPV. The presentation is based on the book by the presenter, “Couples Therapy for Domestic Violence: Finding Safe Solutions” published by the American Psychological Association in 2011. The presentation addresses important questions about conjoint therapy and IPV and is an essential presentation for those providing IPV treatment services and policy-makers tasked with setting evidence-based intervention standards.
Dr. Sandra Stith is a University Distinguished Professor, emeritus, in the Family Therapy program at Kansas State University. In 2011, APA published her book, co-authored with McCollum and Rosen, “Couples Treatment for Domestic Violence: Finding Safe Solutions”, describing a treatment program developed and tested with NIMH funding. She continues to be an invited speaker on the topic of couples treatment for domestic violence both nationally and internationally. In 2021, she co-edited a book with Spencer, “International Perspectives on Intimate Partner Violence: Challenges and Opportunities” published by AFTA, Springer. She continues to publish papers in the area of partner violence, to provide service to a variety of journal editorial boards and provides service as an officer for the board for the Domestic Violence Crisis Center in Manhattan, KS.
PM3: Restorative Justice and Domestic Violence, Part I: Circles of Peace
Presenters: Briana Barocas & Krystal McLeod
The Circles of Peace model, the first of its kind in the United States to use restorative justice principles to treat those mandated to treatment for domestic violence crimes, is flexible, culturally sensitive, and coordinates with the criminal legal system to break patterns of abuse. It is an evidenced-informed model that uses peacemaking circle techniques and restorative practices to bring individuals who have been abusive together with willing family members/friends, support persons, a trained professional facilitator, and community volunteers. Rigorous studies of the model demonstrate the potential in offering a more just, compassionate, and effective response for combating domestic violence. This session will explore the history, research motivation and findings, and why the Circles of Peace model remains a compelling alternative domestic violence treatment approach.
Dr. Briana Barocas is the Director of Research of New York University’s Center on Violence and Recovery and a Research Associate Professor at New York University’s Silver School of Social Work. Her interests in trauma, resiliency, and recovery have led to research on first responders, individuals and families affected by domestic violence, and survivors of 9/11. She is committed to developing and researching programs and services that better the lives of individuals, families, and communities and has over 15 years of research experience in restorative justice applications to domestic violence practice.
Krystal McLeod, JD is Associate Director of Development and Education, Center on Violence and Recovery at New York University. She oversees planning, development and implementation of New York University’s Center on Violence and Recovery’s restorative justice model for domestic violence crimes. A Dalai Lama Fellow, Truman Scholar, Compassionate Leadership Fellow and Senior Humanity in Action Fellow, her social justice work is intersectional, anti-racist and rooted in womanist thought. Krystal also worked as a White House Intern and with AM 100 law firms, NGOs and the UN Department of Public Information. She holds a JD from the University of Notre Dame Law School and a BA in Politics from New York University.
PM4: Restorative Justice and Domestic Violence, Part II
Presenters: Blanca Acosta, Mary Helen Maley, & Martha McLafferty
Moderator: Rei Shimizu
For the past two decades, New York University's Center on Violence and Recovery has partnered with local judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, treatment providers, victim advocates, and community members in implementing and studying the Circles of Peace model. This session features local partners from Arizona and Vermont and will highlight the programs in their communities and lessons learned from the implementation of the Circles of Peace model in their jurisdictions. This moderated panel will explore how to create a Circles of Peace program in your jurisdiction with a focus on identifying the right community partners, state standards, funding, technical assistance, etc.
Blanca Acosta serves as the Executive Director of Circles of Peace a restorative justice behavioral health agency in Nogales, Arizona dedicated to justice, education and treatment for domestic violence and substance abuse, since 2011. Blanca began her work in this field while working in another agency as a facilitator. This program used the most common approach to treatment of domestic violence crimes in the United States, the mandated group-based Batterer Intervention Program. While here, she realized the enormous need for holistic healing and restoration for these individuals and their families. In 2008 she began searching for alternative treatment approaches to domestic violence. It was then that she learned about the restorative justice-based treatment program for domestic violence offenders called Circles of Peace (CP) located in her hometown of Nogales, Arizona.
Mary Helen Maley is a retired Santa Cruz County, Arizona Justice Court Judge. She is the co-founder of Circles of Peace a restorative justice treatment program in Nogales, Arizona. Since 2004, Circles of Peace has been working to make a lasting difference in the lives of those it serves. She has also created the Santa Cruz County Pretrial Services Program in Santa Cruz County, Arizona. This program keeps those arrested for crimes connected to the court and to help prevent the commission of offenses during pretrial release. The program uses community members to help achieve its goals.
Martha McLaffery is the Director of the Hartford Community Restorative Justice Center. In this capacity Martha works to reduce crime and rebuild community in the greater Hartford area. She works directly with residents and law enforcement to provide programs based on the principles of restorative justice.
Rei Shimizu, PhD, MSW, is an Assistant Professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage School of Social Work and a Fellow at New York University’s Center on Violence and Recovery. Her research interests include domestic violence intervention research, the intersections of domestic violence intervention and domestic/international policies, violence resolution, trauma recovery, and the unique role of food and food behaviors in domestic violence and intimate partner violence. She holds a Ph.D. from New York University Silver School of Social Work and an MSW from Columbia University.