A new effort to prevent and reduce deaths resulting from domestic violence has launched in DuPage County, according to the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Investigating fatal, near-fatal incidents
“Domestic violence affects us all and has no place in our homes or communities,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in a news release. “We must stand with and support survivors of domestic violence and empower them to find the courage to escape the cycle of abuse. The creation of this Review Team is a critical step in creating safer communities and protecting survivors of domestic violence.”
The Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team was created as a means of investigating these deaths and near-death incidents. The team will examine the events leading up to fatalities involving a victim or offender, including possible warning signs or risk factors that went unnoticed or unreported.
These analyses will be used to inform future countywide policy and prevention strategy.
Law enforcement, county agencies, shelters team up
The team is comprised of law enforcement professionals from several suburban police departments, members of the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s, Coroner’s, Public Defender’s and Probation Offices, and experts from various area shelters, anti-domestic violence groups and legal aid centers.
The state’s attorney’s office said it received guidance from the statewide Domestic Violence Fatality Review initiative to make the team a reality.
“It is our shared goal that this important work will prevent future domestic violence fatalities and near fatalities, reduce the severity and frequency of domestic abuse, and improve coordinated community and professional services responses,” Berlin said.
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