ISSUE: Specialized Justice Processes for Domestic and Sexual Violence

Designated police, Crown counsel, probation officers and court days have much to contribute to an effective response to domestic violence. KEY POINTS • Key elements of a specialized response to domestic or sexual violence may include specialized police, policing units, Crown, probation officers, domestic violence courts, or designated court days. • Existing specialized domestic and sexual violence police units, including domestic violence community counsellors, have demonstrated their effectiveness in responding to high-risk cases. • Dedicated Crown or dedicated criminal justice units could work effectively with existing police Domestic or Sexual Violence Units or RCMP detachments which currently have dedicated police investigators, and may lay the groundwork for more sophisticated, innovative prosecution strategies in domestic and sexual violence cases. • Establishment of specialized courts or specialized staff are particularly challenging in areas with low case volumes. Victim support and assaultive men’s programs, critical to the success of specialized courts, are often unavailable or have limited availability in small communities. • Much can be learned from jurisdictions that have established specialized domestic violenc