Governor Patrick Announces Plan to Combat Domestic Violence

By Christopher Baxter
Boston Globe
June 05, 2008

Alarmed by a sharp increase in domestic violence-related deaths, Governor Deval Patrick today unveiled plans to bolster police training and ordered a statewide review of the data to try to determine the reasons for the rise.

"We have a public health emergency on our hands," he said.

Domestic violence-related deaths have nearly tripled in Massachusetts during the past three years, from 19 in 2005 to 55 last year, according to the nonprofit Jane Doe Inc., which advocates against domestic violence and sexual assault. There have been 24 deaths this year.

State officials plan to update guidelines for officers responding to domestic violence incidents, as well as to enhance training for both recruits and veterans.
Policies for handling domestic violence in police departments across the state are seriously outdated, said Paul Porter, chief of police in Randolph .

"We've really dropped off in developing our training over the years, and this will give us that boost," Porter said.

Specific causes of the increase in domestic violence-related deaths are difficult to pinpoint, but economic anxiety and a lack of coordination between state agencies, the police, and community organizations have contributed to the problem, Patrick said.
Several state offices will review the past three years of data to see if any trends emerge.

Mary R. Lauby, executive director of Jane Doe Inc., said she hoped more domestic violence victims would come forward seeking help from local programs -- before it's too late.

"If we see an increase in demand and more referrals, that will be an indication of success," she said.