Mayor and Commissioners,
I am Beth Donahue, Executive Director of the Springfield Domestic Violence Coalition (SDVC).
I am reaching out to discuss a matter of great importance to our community:
CASE DISMISSAL RATES IN MUNICIPAL COURT.
It's the stick or the carrot; I'm going to use the carrot
Mayor, Municipal Court - CRIMINAL MISDEMEANOR - case dismissal rates are alarmingly high. According to data by THE CASE MANAGEMENT SECTION OF THE SUPREME COURT OF OHIO, In 2022, 69% of CRIMINAL CASES (nontraffic) were dismissed, AND in 2023, 66% were Dismissed. This high rate typically prompts investigations by the Department of Justice, which DID happen in cities such as New Orleans, San Antonio, Philadelphia, and Seattle when CASE DISMISSAL levels rose above 70%.
FROM 2017 TO 2023, the Court declined to file on over 10,000 of the 17,000 cases referred
58% of all (nontraffic) cases were tossed out.
The Court's dismissal rate went from 44% in 2013 to 69% in 2022, a 25% percentage point increase at an average growth of 2.5% year over year. Based on SDVC projections, case dismissal for 2024 may reach above 70%, based on all incoming data as of May 2024. Every year, thousands of cases investigated by our dedicated police officers see no resolution. Repeat offenders act with impunity, while victims lose faith in the system that is meant to protect them.
LET'S TALK ABOUT DOMESTIC RELATIONS COURT DATA:
In 2023, the Domestic Violence dismissal rate was 58.1%. From 2017 to 2023, dismissal rates have increased every year. We also project a 70% dismissal rate or higher by the end of this year. In 2003 Domestic Violence cases represented only 15% of all Domestic Relations Division court cases - in 2022 it represented 70.6% of all cases
Lastly, data analysis can be complex and subject to interpretation. Open dialogue and collaboration between the City, the Court, and SDVC can help us better understand these trends and develop practical solutions. I am committed to working with the City to ensure our justice system is fair, transparent, and accountable. To this end, SDVC respectfully requests a meeting to discuss these findings in greater detail.
Mayor, there are solutions to raising the plea bargain rates and decreasing Domestic Violence in our community. SDVC would appreciate the chance to discuss these great alternatives and solutions to lowering Domestic Violence incident rates
- Thank you for your time and consideration.
Beth Donahue - Executive Director
Springfield Domestic Violence Coalition
Please see PDF attached with Data Sources and Statistics
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