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There is no job in America where continued failure, ineffectiveness, and ineptitude in job performance are highly rewarded except as a Prosecutor of Domestic Violence in Clark County and Clark County Sheriff's Department Intimate Partner Domestic Violence Supervisor. What is validated and crystal clear is a combination of two factors resulting in the pervasive growth in Clark County's Domestic Violence. First, a definitive, pervasive, and philosophic policy that allows for the inability of victims to bring Domestic Violence cases forward. Second, Prosecutorial ineffectiveness in prosecuting prolific, reoccurring abusive crimes. The effects of these two factors have resulted in the unprecedented growth of Domestic Violence abusers (serial Offenders) to reoffend multiple victims multiple times in Springfield and Clark County. The other side of this equation is the inability of the victim to come forward, press charges, and go to trial. The pervasive philosophical belief embedded in Advocacy, Outreach, and Victim support services is ideologically counter-productive. This set of beliefs leads to outcomes that are the opposite of what the ideology of Domestic Violence Advocacy, Outreach, and Victim support services intends or desires. In other words, it is when pursuing ideological goals undermines or harms the very cause they are meant to advance. The most significant source of pressures that discourage victims from coming forward to court comes from the operating philosophy of Project Woman working in conjunction with the Clark County Sheriff's Department and Prosecutors Office. Legislators and funders have expected Domestic Violence victim service programs to demonstrate that they are making a significant difference in the lives of those using their services. The expectation is to provide victim services to assist and improve survivors' lives. These outreach services offer a broad range of support for survivors and their families, including shelter programs, advocacy services, transitional housing, support groups, supervised visitation centers, Outreach, and counseling services. These are often nonprofit organizations that rely on volunteers and paid staff to meet victims' needs. The services are well intended and are needed. However, the operating premise of their philosophy is to provide support for victims with service, but it does not alleviate Domestic Violence in the community. The current philosophy is to empower survivors of Domestic Violence to make decisions and choices that will establish and maintain safety for themselves and their children WITHOUT encouraging victims to come forward. This philosophy is upheld by Clark County and the City of Springfield duly sworn officers of the law and court prosecutors. In that case, the philosophy is ideologically counter-productive. Springfield Domestic Violence Coalition appreciates ABC-22 Dayton and Reporter Jenilee Borek for posting the full news report interviews with Mr. Steward and Sergeant Denise Jones on Facebook. Many of Sergeant Denise Jones's (in Uniform) comments were not of her own opinion but official statements on behalf of Clark County. Sergeant Denise Jones's statements led SDVC to research the Springfield Police Department's and Clark County Sheriff's Office policies on law enforcement conduct. SDVC found specific examples of violations of Springfield Police Department's and Clark County Sheriff's Office policy, State of Ohio Code of Ethics Violations for Law Enforcement, Federal and Civil Rights Violations, and possible criminal charges. The full transcript of the ABC-22 Dayton interview with Clark County Sheriff's Department Sergeant Denise Jones (Intimate Partner Violence Supervisor) is attached. The video conversation, unedited by Springfield Domestic Violence Coalition, is also attached. 1. SDVC Demands the removal of Sergeant Denise Jones as Intimate Partner Violence Supervisor of the Clark County Sheriff's Office and to be permanently reassigned to another Sheriff's office position. Furthermore, Sergeant Denise Jones should terminate working in coordination with Project Women in an official capacity on behalf of the Sheriff's Office. Working with Project Woman is a conflict of interest and is a violation of Ohio's Code of Ethics based on the presence of the Project Woman’s’ organization with established office space within the Clark County Sheriff's Office. The National Sheriffs' Association's Code of Ethics for Sheriffs states that sheriffs should not use the office for private gain during their tenure. Any funds collected for leasing or rental of space provided by Project Woman must be publicly disclosed. Furthermore, the funds collected must be publicly disclosed to the Ohio Auditor of State. 2. The Sheriff is responsible for various funds such as the General Fund, the Furtherance of Justice Fund, the Inmate Fund, the Commissary Fund, the Prisoner Return Fund, and Law Enforcement Funds. SDVC demands accountability for the $675,000 grant funding. Federal law requires that information about entities and organizations receiving federal funds be disclosed to the public, as well as financial data, such as expenses paid for with federal funds, compliance information to ensure the recipient follows federal regulations, and project data highlighting progress and community impact. 3. Distribution and public notification of The Clark County Sheriff's Office, Official Statements or Policy Statements by the Sheriff’s Office must be endorsed by the current Sheriff. Most law enforcement officials have outlined the rules of engagement with news media and have established representatives who speak on behalf of the Office or Department. These media relations officers have guidelines and regulations they must follow; after all, they represent the City, County, or State on behalf of their agency. Representatives must reflect the culture, values, and ethics of their agency and are allowed to expound on how the agency will achieve its goals, reduce risk, and improve areas of safety and well-being of the community. It is not uncommon for a representative of an agency to elaborate on incorrect information, data, or a version of events to be initially presented to the public, even when there's evidence to the contrary. The official statements made by Sergeant Denise Jones, speaking for the Clark County Sheriff's Office and the City of Springfield and Clark County, need to be examined SDVC demands a signed public notification by The Clark County Sheriff's Office, endorsing Sergeant Denise Jones’ Official Statements and Policy Statements made on ABC-22 Dayton by Sheriff Deb Burchett. SDVC notes that Sergeant Denise Jones of the Clark County Sheriff's Office, The Clark County Sheriff's Office, Clark County, and The City of Springfield violated the following: 1. The Sheriff's Department's negligence in the failure to behave with the level of care for victims of domestic violence by their own admission, The Clark County Sheriff's Office stated their actions in an inability to proceed with charges of known crimes and their omission to take actions presented threat to the public from serial domestic violence offenders which demonstrates negligence on behalf of the Clark County Sheriff's Office. The Clark County Sheriff's Office had a duty to act on victim statements of domestic violence but instead referred matters to Project Woman, a nonprofit organization, for financial gain. 2. Sergeant Denise Jones of the Clark County Sheriff's Office made official statements for The Clark County Sheriff's Office, Clark County, and The City of Springfield. The policy statements were concerning Domestic Violence: "(Domestic Violence) numbers are up, but numbers up isn't always a bad thing," "Higher (Domestic Violence) numbers aren't always a bad thing," "Again, could a spike in women or people of color coming in to report (Domestic Violence) to us? That could potentially be a good thing". These statements demonstrate a total disregard for public safety and demonstrate a lack of concern of law enforcement, Clark County, and the City of Springfield in addressing the rising domestic violence. Due to Sergeant Denise Jones admitting that she acted alone and took ownership of Clark County's intimate partner office, her lack of inaction as a duly sworn law enforcement action directly resulted in harm to individuals and the community by her negligence in protecting the community from serial Domestic Violence offenders. Sergeant Denise Jones acknowledges Serial Domestic Violence offenders exist in the community and has failed to notify the public and refused to take action against such known offenders. Sergeant Denise Jones's inaction and failure to respond to this community emergency promptly, not adequately investigating crimes, and neglecting to address the known safety hazards presented is a high degree of misconduct on behalf of Clark County's intimate partner office. 3. Civil Rights Violations Under Federal Law (42 U.S.C. Section 1983). Sergeant Denise Jones's inactions and disregard of public safety by her own admission, "Higher (Domestic Violence) numbers aren't always a bad thing," is directly and indirectly violating and depriving individuals of their constitutional rights under the Fourteenth Amendment, which extends the Bill of Rights to the states and ensures equal protection under the law. Sergeant Denise Jones engaged in discriminatory practices, failed to provide equal protection to all individuals, and violated the Civil Rights Act of 1871 (Section 1983) by her actions of discrimination based on race and ethnicity. By her admission of incompetence, "Again, could a spike in women or people of color coming in to report to us, That could potentially be a good thing"... because traditionally marginalized folks are not a community that we even get in the office". 4. Sergeant Denise Jones engaged in discriminatory practices under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act 1964. This act prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance. If a police department receives federal funding, it must adhere to this law and cannot engage in discriminatory policing. According to the Springfield News-Sun, February 14, 2018, The Sheriff's office is one of six organizations to receive a $675K grant as part of an initiative to strengthen L.E.'s response to sexual and domestic violence. The grant will provide the Sheriff's office with resources, support, training, and technical assistance to build capacity "and raise awareness of the existence and impact of gender bias on responses to domestic and sexual violence," according to a news release. The Clark County sheriff's office will work with several national agencies, including the Chiefs Association, the U.S. Department of Justice, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the National Crime Victim Law Institute "to identify aspects of agency culture that may create or sustain biases, develop sustainable strategies to address and eliminate the impact of bias on the response to and investigation of sexual and domestic violence, and implement trauma-informed, victim-centered procedures agency-wide. Sergeant Denise Jones states: "I'm going to use my community-based partners (Project Woman) because regardless of where the criminal justice system sits or where that person sits in that system, I want them to get access to services and get that help that they need regardless if they work with law enforcement or not. I want everybody in our community to feel comfortable coming to us. Again, this is not contingent on me pushing you through the criminal justice system. We don't push everybody to file charges." The Clark County Sheriff's Office has delegated its sworn duty to protect citizens affected by Domestic Violence and Crime to a community nonprofit. The Springfield Police Department and Clark County Intimate Partner Violence Department have failed to investigate the rising crime and offending of African American females within the community and have been unable to bring criminal charges forward. The Clark County Sheriff's Office and The City of Springfield have exhibited a pattern or practice of dropping or dismissing domestic violence investigations based on ethnicity and race. 5. SDVC has urged The U.S. Department of Justice to initiate investigations into these law enforcement agencies based on those exhibited patterns or practices of violating civil rights. The Department of Justice has issued guidance on racial profiling, and we strongly urge the Department to use its full authority to investigate The Clark County Sheriff's Department Intimate Partner Violence Supervisor Sergeant Denise Jones and the City of Springfield based on those patterns or practices of discrimination. 6. Reporting to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation & Identification, SDVC examined the State-Level Offense against the City of Springfield and Clark County Sheriff's Department for criminal charges of misconduct and dereliction of duty. Upon accepting the $675,00 grant money, the Clark County Sheriff's Department failed to report any Domestic Violence incidents in 2020 and 2021. MANDATED REPORTING: Reporting of Domestic Violence incidents and arrests was set in motion by the creation of the Supreme Court of Ohio Domestic Violence Task Force in 1995. In 1996, the Domestic Violence Task Force issued its report called "Increasing Safety for Victims; Increasing Accountability of Offenders ." That report set the groundwork for compelling mandated Domestic Violence Incident tracking by the Ohio Attorney General's office. The Ohio Attorney General's Office expanded the requirement of Ohio Revised Code § 3113.32 that mandates reporting of domestic violence incidents to the Ohio Attorney General to include homicide, felonious assault, and aggravated assault involving a family member or current or former household member. Reporting should include case dispositions if criminal charges are filed. Domestic Violence Data reporting requirements: ● ORC 3113.32 outlines the responsibility of local law enforcement agencies in Ohio to report domestic dispute and domestic violence problems to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation & Identification each month. These monthly reports are due by the last day of the following month. (For example, the monthly domestic violence report data for March 1 – 31 would be due by April 30.) ● Pursuant to 3113.32, the Attorney General's Office is also required to produce an annual report of domestic violence statistics. As such, all data for a given reporting year are due by January 31 of the following year. For example, data for January 2019 through December 2019 reporting would need to be submitted by January 31, 2020 Definitions for Reporting Domestic Violence Arrests or Incidents: ● A Domestic Violence Incident (DVI) charge (Ohio Rev. Code § 2919.25) ● Violating Protection Order/Consent Agreement charge (Ohio Rev. Code § 2919.27) ● or any equivalent local ordinance 7. SDVC found a Violation Of the Ohio Code Of Ethics. Public officials and employees violate the conflicts of interest provision of the Ohio Ethics Law when they take official action or make decisions in matters that definitely and directly affect themselves, their family members, or their business associates. Simply put, a public official has a "conflict of interest" when his or her ability to be an objective decision-maker is impaired by his or her interests or the interests of family members or business associates. SDVC strongly suggests the relationship between Sergeant Denise Jones and Lauren Dennis working with Project Woman is a conflict of interest because it affects Sergeant Denise Jones' ability to be an objective decision-maker and impairs her ability to do the job as Deputy for the Clark County Sheriff's Office due to her interests. Police are required to gather evidence and determine probable cause for an arrest warrant, even if the victim doesn't want to press charges. Furthermore, while the average citizen isn't obligated to report a crime, some professionals are mandated reporters. These professionals are required to report suspected crimes against vulnerable individuals, such as children, the elderly, and those with physical or mental impairments. Mandatory reporters include: ● Health care workers ● Teachers and school employees ● Clergy ● Licensed therapists ● Child protection workers ● Law enforcement ● Childcare workers ● Camp counselors The fact that Sergeant Denise Jones' made the statement: "So we usually average about 700 to 750 cases just for our unit annually". If none or only some incidents are reported, that is as a severe violation of her duty as a sworn Deputy of Clark County. The question that needs to be asked is, where is the Clark County data supporting all these arrests? If these 700-750 are not reported crimes, how does Sergeant Denise Jones know there have been 750 reported Domestic Violence incidents? The assumption is that a Domestic Violence victim walks into the Sheriff's Department and talks to Sergeant Denise Jones; the person identifies that they are a victim of a crime, and Sergeant Denise Jones does not report this incident. WHERE IS THE SDVC NUMBERS AND DATA COMING FROM? Sergeant Denise Jones further states, "My concern initially is where are the numbers coming from." I've seen some reports from the Springfield Domestic Violence Coalition. My concern is if they are putting out numbers from the domestic relations court. Domestic relations court doesn't handle criminal offenses, so my concern would be where those numbers are coming from”. As mentioned in the interview, SDVC does NOT produce the data; SDVC only reports on the presented data and compiles summary data for display. All crime and incident data initially comes from the Springfield Police Department, Clark County Sheriff's Office, and the Ohio and Clark County Department of Health. The Justice source data (non court data) below originates from those agencies. Therefore, if there is a dispute about the data being inaccurate, look within the agency reporting because that's where it originated. Law enforcement must report crime and incident data to state and federal agencies. (It happens to be the case that both S.P.D. and CCSO have failed to report or have not submitted all requested data within the last 5-years) Furthermore, State and Federal Agencies are tasked to collect the data and perform aggregate statistical measures to identify State or County incidents and arrest counts and determine rates per listed crimes. SDVC is very surprised by the statements of Sergeant Denise Jones; "My concern initially is where are the numbers coming from." This statement implies that Sergeant Denise Jones has no comprehension or understanding of crime statistics or where the reported data originates. More importantly, Sergeant Denise Jones needs to learn that the agency she works for is required by law to report crime and incident data regularly, which is genuinely incompetence at its highest form. Ignorance of the law is no excuse." SOURCES City of Springfield Municipal Prosecutor's Office (Case Search and Inquiry) https://clerkofcourts.municipal.co.clark.oh.us/web.nsf/CaseSearch?OpenForm This is a Case Search Inquiry. The website will allow users to search by Criminal case, Traffic Case, Civil Case, Parking Case and Temporary Protection Order Case. The search will display the subject's entire Criminal Case history in Clark County, All the subjects court documents, dispositions, sentences and police reports. Clark County Prosecutor's Office (Case Search and Inquiry) https://commonpleas.clarkcountyohio.gov/eservices/home.page.2 The case information contained within this website is generated from computerized records maintained by the Clark County Clerk of Courts and is deemed to be public information. The site will allow the user to search the subject's entire court case history. Department of Justice Statistics for Clark County https://www.justice.gov/doj/statistics-available-department-justice The Department of Justice provides statistics on a wide variety of subjects. The component links below will help you find what you're looking for, but you should also consider searching all Department of Justice websites to find exactly what you need. This is an excellent site to find aggregate statistics on various crimes Nationally and by state. F.B.I. Uniform Crime Reports (U.C.R.) https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/LATEST/webapp/#/pages/home Federal Bureau of Investigation | Crime Data Explorer The F.B.I.'s Crime Data Explorer (C.D.E.) aims to provide transparency, create easier access, and expand awareness of criminal and noncriminal law enforcement data sharing; improve accountability for law enforcement; and provide a foundation to help shape public policy with the result of a safer nation. Use the C.D.E. to discover available data through visualizations, download data in .csv format, and other large data files F.B.I. National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) https://le.fbi.gov/informational-tools/ucr/ucr-technical-specifications-user-manuals-and-data-tools#NIBRS The U.C.R. was discontinued in 2022 and was replaced by NIBRS. This site has State and City crime data. As the U.C.R. Program transitions to a NIBRS-only data collection, changes have been implemented at the national level, though not all have been adopted by state and local agencies at this time. Applicable specifications are identified below. Ohio Incident-Based Reporting System (OIBRS) https://ocjs.ohio.gov/law-enforcement-services/ohio-incidentbased-reporting-syste The Ohio Statistical Analysis Center collects crime data from every County and city in the State of Ohio. The website has a crime dashboard and the dashboard visualizes statewide monthly offense counts and rates across categories of crime, reported by Ohio law enforcement agencies. Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (OBCI) https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Files/Reports/Domestic-Violence-Reports The Ohio Attorney General's Office has a wide range of data collection on crime and Domestic Violence. The AG's office is mandated to collect certain data as per the Ohio Revised Code for Uniform Criminal Reporting. Ohio Public Health Data Warehouse (OPHD) https://odh.ohio.gov/explore-data-and-stats/published-reports The Data & Statistics website at OPHD has a list of interactive applications, published reports and other resources related to data and analyses at O.D.H. The National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) https://wisqars.cdc.gov/ This website collects information about violent deaths, including homicides, suicides, and deaths caused by law enforcement acting in the line of duty. NVDRS Violent Deaths Report: Reports for All Ages include those of unknown age. The manner of death reported here is assigned by the state abstractor based on all available standard NVDRS data sources. WISQARS National Violent Death Reporting System Pregnancy Status is for females of reproductive age, 15 to 49. State of Ohio Courts of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division (Domestic Violence) Clark County Only https://analytics.das.ohio.gov/t/SCPUB/views/FormB-judge-state-PROD/CaseloadandPerformance?iframeSizedToWindow=true&%3Aembed=y&%3AshowAppBanner=false&%3Adisplay_count=no&%3AshowVizHome=no State of Ohio Courts of Common Pleas, General Division (Criminal) Clark County Only https://analytics.das.ohio.gov/t/SCPUB/views/FormA-judge-state-PROD/CaseloadandPerformance?iframeSizedToWindow=true&%3Aembed=y&%3AshowAppBanner=false&%3Adisplay_count=no&%3AshowVizHome=no State of Ohio Municipal and County Courts (Criminal) Clark County Only https://analytics.das.ohio.gov/t/SCPUB/views/MunicipalandCountyCourtCourtStatistics/CaseloadandPerformance?iframeSizedToWindow=true&%3Aembed=y&%3AshowAppBanner=false&%3Adisplay_count=no&%3AshowVizHome=no#5 The interest of a Sheriff's Office is, first and foremost, to be the jailer of the County. The Sheriff is tasked with keeping innocent people in their custody. Occasionally, the Sheriff will take custody of people convicted of a crime to serve their remaining sentence. As communities grow, local police departments result in a dichotomy of services between the daily functioning of police officers and sheriffs. However, the duties of a Sheriff's Office Deputy are: 1. Enforcing laws enacted for the protection of the lives, persons, property, health and morals of the people. 2. Investigating crimes. 3. Attending terms of court. 4. Serving, executing and returning process. 5. Keeping custody of the courthouse and jail. 6. Keeping custody and control of convicts. 7. Collecting taxes SDVC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BETH DONAHUE Beth was born and raised in Springfield, and the Springfield Donahue Family goes back five generations in this great city. Beth's Great-Great-Grandparents were married in Springfield in 1878. On a side note, Donahue & Hankel was the first (1st) Beer Distributor company in Clark County in the late 30s. Beth's Grandfather's picture still hangs in the Springfield Police Department - Sgt. Bill Donahue was appointed Police Officer in 1954, Appointed Sergeant in 1968, and retired in 1979. Beth also had two Great Uncles that served with the Springfield Police Department. You might say the "Irish" Donahue's lived up to their name. Beth's Uncle retired as a Police Captain from the Xenia Police Department after 30 years of service. The Blue runs through the whole Donahue Family. "It takes courage and dedication to fill the shoes of a Police officer. That is why SDVC needs to work with Law enforcement and find ways in which we can help each other...Find areas to mend, find areas to improve, and find areas to commend!" My experience with domestic violence goes like this: 24 years enduring emotional/verbal abuse 6 years of financial insecurity 4 years of my abuser controlling my religious faith 10 times I left my abusers 9 years of being stalked, threatened and followed 6 times law enforcement, lawyers, and judges believed my abuser and that I was the one lying, exaggerating and hurting myself. 5 times I asked for a restraining order and 5 times it was denied 2 times my daughter was kept from me, and the courts did nothing And “0” ZERO is the number of arrests my Abuser received. James Steward Mr. Steward has a Bachelor's in Psychology and a Master's in Criminology. He is a former Professor of Institutional Research with the Department of Defense, Senior Statistician with Packaging Corporation of America, and Director of a contracting agency specializing in criminal network tracking of drug dealers, assisting over 45 Sheriff's Offices in Indiana and the Drug Enforcement Agency. Mr Steward served 21 years in the Army Reserve as a Medical Service Corps Officer. Mr. Steward is a father of three children, and his oldest son is a U.S. Air Force intelligence officer. Mr. Steward is currently the Criminologist for the Springfield Domestic Violence Coalition (Transcription from ABC-22 Interview with James Steward, Criminologist, Springfield Domestic Violence Coalition and Sergeant Denise Jones, Clark County Sheriff's Department: [Mr. Steward] Q: PLEASE TELL OUR AUDIENCE ABOUT THE TYPE OF REPORTS SDVC YOUR ORGANIZATION DISSEMINATES. Well, the reports come out once a month and we try to update with progress reports about every two weeks so people can stay informed. The report really details the prevalence of domestic violence in the community, whether it's increasing, decreasing. We also want to know the severity of violence in the community and if lethality is increasing. We also look at the demographics involved on how these victims are being offended and by who. And if there's any rise in the victims as far as demographics, a rise in Caucasian population, African-American and Hispanic. Q: WHERE DOES SDVC GET THIS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE DATA? So the data is gathered from ten different sources. From one, all the police and county request for information reports, but more importantly from OBCI, the Attorney General's Office, UCR reports from the FBI, the NIBRS reports from the FBI, Ohio incident based reports (OIBRS) and the Department of Health. So every bit of data we use is extracted from those publicly reported sites. Now that data is provided by agencies and these agencies in Springfield and Clark County report to the state and national agencies. So it can be easily verified. Q: TELL US ABOUT THE CHANGES FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TO THE INCREASE IN INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE IN CLARK COUNTY. There is a shift that we found from domestic violence which we normally think of as husband and wife and, you know, maybe family members, father and son to more of an intimate partner violence. And that is supported by the data, less marriages and other reports from police reports, sheriff's reports, UCR reports. Reporting that these women are single and on OBCI, they report what the relationship status is. Q: TELL US HOW THE CITY AND COUNTY REACTED TO THE STUDY AND WHAT PLANS ARE THEY MAKING TO ADDRESS THE SITUATION We've reached out to the city. We've talked to the mayor, council members. We've also talked to the city attorney, the city prosecutor. And when we ended up with these conversations, it ended up about jurisdictional issues, jurisdictional boundaries. Oh, wait a minute. This type of crime was committed in Clark County, not Springfield. Oh, it was arrested by the sheriff's department, not Springfield PD. I'm sorry, but this type of data went to the Clark County Common Police Court, not the Springfield Municipal Court. So it ended up being about a domestic dispute over jurisdiction, like whose data is it’s? So what they ended up doing is pretty much dismissing the whole pie of domestic violence and really only wanting to claim their little pieces of the pie saying, well, we're responsible for this and Clark County is responsible for that. But this is a whole community and we need to be responsible for everything in this community, whether it's in German Township or in Springfield. Q: WHY IS CLARK COUNTY AND THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD WANTING TO DISMISS YOUR CLAIMS? Well, a lot of it has to do with data collection. And when we went to collect data, we can get data up to 2022. Then the city decided to get the new system, which is maintained by the Clark County Sheriff's department. So extracting that data is tough. And when we asked for data, existing data from 2023 to present, it's very difficult to get. The other thing, and it's just my opinion, there is no criminologist or crime analyst to observe the state and actually put out regular reports. So a lot of the information ends up getting disputed over jurisdictional instead of actually coming out in front and saying, yeah, we have a problem, we need to look at it, and how can we go about doing it? Yeah, nobody wants to take that step forward and do this. Q: WHAT SHOULD CLARK COUNTY AND THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD DO TO ADDRESS THE CURRENT SITUATION? Well, first, whether it's us or another organization looking at the data, first thing you need to do is establish a baseline and figure out what the heck is going on. We need to look at things from the past and be able to project towards the future. And we need common definitions. So we're all on the same page. When we describe domestic violence, that should be one thing. When we describe intimate partner, it should be another. The thing is, when you start breaking down this data, you often wonder like, how can UCR, the FBI describe it and define it as one thing? And how can our local police department define it? And still, Clark County defined it as the other in the state of Ohio, define it as the other. So if we can all get together, combine our definitions, combine the data, and make some headway, then we can hand it off right? To the direct services, the advocacy groups, all the other nonprofits that are really working hard to protect survivors. Q: ANY LAST THOUGHTS ABOUT THE CURRENT SITUATION? I think there can always be funds and grants headed towards nonprofits providing direct services, but in order for them to do the job that they really need to do, they kind of need to know where they're at. They collect data on a lot of their survivors, and many of them do not want to go to the police. So there's a whole data set there, as opposed to the ones that get reported into the police department. And so being able to converge those data sets and really understand what's going on in the community would help. [END] [Sgt. Jones] Q: WHAT IS YOUR ROLE FOR CLARK COUNTY So we encompass domestic violence, stalking, strangulation, protection orders, and some sexual assaults between intimate partners, but that encompasses family violence as well. So if it's familiar related, not marriage related, yes, not data related, we take all of that. Q: WHAT IS THE STATUS OF CLARK COUNTY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE? It ebbs and flows, right? So I know everybody kind of hyper focuses on your numbers are up, but numbers up isn't always a bad thing. Last year, our numbers were a little lower. So we usually average about 700 to 750 cases just for our unit annually. Last year, without knowing the exact number, I think we were around 650 to 675. So down a little bit for us, right? We've had years where there have been spikes in numbers. We received a grant back in 2017 to completely start this program that I supervise now, which is addressing gender-based violence. And so we did see a spike in numbers. And again, ebbs and flows, right? There are some years where we see higher numbers, where we see lower numbers, or we kind of stay pretty even. But I think people hyper focus on higher numbers. Higher numbers aren't always a bad thing. If I'm doing a good job and I'm out in the community and they know we have a solid program, which we do here in Clark County, they're more apt to follow up with me, more apt to interact with me. That may not mean I'm going to take them through the criminal justice system. We co-respond or we partner with our community-based advocacy organization, Project Woman. They have space in our office. They're there Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 to noon. We co respond with them. What that means is we do a lethality assessment on scene. The deputies can call if there is a high number or if there are lethality indicators. They're immediately getting that victim on the phone with an advocate. The advocate can come out to the scene with the deputy. The deputy can transport that individual that we're working with to Project Woman to our office where they have confidential space in our office. So we do have spikes in numbers. We haven't this year so far. We're on par for our average. But again, if I'm out in the community and I'm showing that we're trauma informed, we're very victim centered with our program. We partner with the city of Springfield. So we're all kind of really addressing in a wraparound way, this particular type of crime. People are a little more comfortable coming in and that's certainly what we want. Again, that's not always pushing someone through the criminal justice system. I'm going to use my community based partners because regardless of where the criminal justice system sits or where that person sits in that system, I want them to get access to services and get that help that they need regardless if they work with law enforcement or not. I want everybody in our community to feel comfortable coming to us. Q: WHAT DO YOU WANT TO TELL THE COMMUNITY Again, not contingent on me pushing you through the criminal justice system. We don't push everybody to file charges. I want to get in. I want to see what's going on, what's been going on, where you're at in your relationship. And then I want to get you connected with a victim services person. I want them to work with you. And if you feel comfortable enough, and we're at the stage where we're going through the criminal justice system, then we're going to try to support you collectively as best we possibly can. But not everybody ever gets there, right? A lot of people don't want to participate with law enforcement. And there are a myriad of reasons why they don't want to do that. It may not even be safe for them to do that. If we arrest an offender today, are they going to get released tomorrow and bond? We don't know. So is that person safe? We don't know, right? But we want to get you connected with services. We want to get you working with somebody. I think it takes a victim nine or more times to leave if they ever leave for good. So we want you to know if you're on time number seven, like we're still here. It's like we just met. Let's start all over again. Let's support you through the process, how you need it, not where we want you to be in the process, right? Q: WHAT IS YOUR OPINION THAT SDVC IS REPORTING AND INCREASE IN DV, A INCREASE IN BLACK FEMALES BEING OFFENDED? My concern initially is where are the numbers coming from. We work predominantly in the county. Now I will take cases no matter where they occur in the county. But I have a little more flexibility to do that. Our road patrol deputies patrol the county. I've seen some reports from the Springfield Domestic Violence Coalition. My concern there is we're putting out numbers from domestic relations court. Domestic relations court doesn't handle criminal offenses. So my concern would be where those numbers are coming from. Again, could a spike in women or people of color coming in to report to us? That could potentially be a good thing. Again, right? Because traditionally marginalized folks are not a community that we even get in the office. So a lot of times for us, what we'll see is they'll work with advocates for a while, and then they'll come in and report to us. I'm not really seeing a spike in that number, but again, I work for the county sheriff's office. I would, again, question where those numbers are coming from. Because if I'm seeing them quoting domestic relations numbers, that's not going to be reflective of domestic violence cases going through our court system. Q: WHAT IS YOUR OPINION THAT SDVC IS REPORTING AND SUGGESTING SERIAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OFFENDERS ARE ON THE LOOSE? We have to offer bond. We do have serial offenders here in Clark County in the city of Springfield. Typically they've been through the criminal justice system. Otherwise I wouldn't see them as serial offenders. Our advocates may see them more as serial offenders because that isn't contingent on them reporting. To law enforcement. But yes, we do have serial offenders. A lot of those offenders have been through the criminal justice system, have spent time in jail, have posted bond, have spent time in prison. So it's not like it's not something that we're not addressing. But again, this is a narcissistic individual. It's typically not a pattern that's going to stop with the first victim. So we just try to work those as best we possibly can. Again, we have a coordinated community response here in Clark County, which encompasses multiple different agencies, DD services, mental health, city lookout, project woman, both the prosecutor's office, the NAACP. So we really try to engage with our community partners. We also have a high risk team that specifically with our systems based advocates. That's through our court system. Our community based advocates with project woman city lookout will come in. Both prosecutors offices, the Clark County Sheriff's office and then the Springfield police division. So we can identify those high risk or serial offenders or stranglers. Because as you know, we just got a law last year, April of 2023. Ohio was the last state in the United States to get a standalone strangulation law, but that makes strangulation a felony. So we are trying to identify those folks because those are the folks that are at the most lethal form of domestic violence with little amount of mark or a little amount of visual injury that I can see. We look at strangulation 50% of the time there are no marks, but it's one of the least most lethal form of domestic violence without the use of a weapon. So we are meeting regularly. Those meetings are typically every two months. All the police agencies get together. We talk about these high risk individuals, these repeat offenders. So we can address them as a team and we can get those people through the criminal justice system. We do try to use evidence based prosecution. We do try to move forward without victims. There are some instances where we can and there are some instances where we cannot. But certainly just because we make an arrest doesn't mean that case is closed. We work that case from the time of the report comes in until the time that that case goes to the criminal justice system and it's adjudicated. So we really try to stay on, especially repeat serial offenders. We want to make sure that we're holding them accountable. Those are the folks DV offenders typically are cop killers. So those are the folks that we really want to hold accountable. We certainly want people in our community to feel as safe as possible, whether it be out in public or at their house. So how can we do that again? And we have really tried to, since 2017, bolster our program. So we do have more wraparound services with the city of Springfield and multiple different community based organizations that can help us kind of drive that message forward. And hopefully when the years to come, we'll be moving to like a family justice center where that's a one stop shop for victims. So we're not asking victims to go to multiple different places to get services. So hopefully that will help us as well. Q: TELL THE AUDIENCE ABOUT HOW THE GRANT HAS IMPACTED CLARK COUNTY When we got our grant back in 2017, the sheriff's office really didn't have a response to especially misdemeanor domestic violence cases and typically nationwide domestic violence cases are the number two call next to theft. So we really didn't have a really good response to misdemeanor, especially misdemeanor domestic violence cases. So we did get this grant. We started the program that I supervise now and we've been growing that program since leaps and bounds leaps and bounds where we used to be. The mere fact that we have community based advocates willing to come into a sheriff's office across the hall from our jail and work with us. That will recommend victims come in or survivors come in and talk to us. That says a lot for what we're doing here in the community because there's a lot of communities that don't have that relationship and don't have that capability. So yeah, I would say since 2017, like we have really changed our outlook. We really take these crimes seriously. We try everything that we possibly can to hold these offenders accountable. And we try to help these victims and survivors to get to the place that they want to be, not where we feel that they should be. And we try to do that again with evidence based prosecution that has to move forward with the victim. Then we have conversation after conversation after conversation before we even get that victim into a courtroom. So I would say that we've really done a lot over the past several years to just increase our response to and really holding these individuals accountable. [END]

Hi, I’m Beth Donahue, the Executive Director of Springfield Domestic Violence Coalition. I will be here for EVERY Commission meeting speaking about the rise in Domestic Violence in MY Community. I REFUSE to be intimidated by the Clark County Prosecutor, Dan Driscoll, I will not be intimidated by Denise Williams the NAACP President and I WILL NOT be Intimidated by the Clark County Sheriff's Department. FACT: The Number of Incoming Domestic Violence Cases via Domestic Relations Division Court 376 in 2003 1,400 in 2023. The 1,400 cases were the Highest in the history of Clark County Clark County will far exceed the 1,400 cases in 2024, Compared to the other 87 Ohio Counties, based on “per-capita caseload” Clark County is 4 Standard Deviations above the mean. -THAT’S NOT A GOOD THING I’m NOT talking about Criminal Cases before a Judge – I’ am pointing out cases which are: Petitions for civil domestic violence protection orders FACT: The court dismissal rate for protection orders: 15.9% in 2003 70.6% in 2022 FACT: In 2022, 91% of those women that received a Protection Order, the abuser violated the Protection order. Yes, violating a protection order is a Criminal Offense. Furthermore, of the abusers that violated that Protection order 3 or more times, a total of 98% of those criminal cases were dismissed. FACT: Criminal Court Case Terminations for Municipal Court In 2013 42% of criminal cases were dismissed In 2023 64% of criminal cases were dismissed. FACT: Percentage of criminal case dismissals that were Domestic Violence. In 2013 it was 22.3% of Cases In 2023 it was 49% of Cases - That means half of all Criminal cases dismissed in 2023, were Domestic Violence Cases. And based on 2024 projections: it should rise to 60% of cases dismissals FACT: Marriage rates in Clark County have dropped to over half, from 1,194 in 1990 to 612 in 2020 The percentage of DV Victims reported as Married went from 15.3% in 2017 to 8.3% in 2022 The percentage of DV Victims reported as “Not Married or Live-in-Partners” went from 18.4% in 2015 to 30.6% in 2023 What does this mean, there are less Domestic Violence legal protections for Single, live-in partners, except for filing eviction. Enough talk about YOU taking this seriously - I want action NOW

mwagner@dispatch.com Staff Writer The Columbus Dispatch If those who beat their partners want to pick a fight, Ohio's top leader is willing to give them one. And Gov. Ted Strickland is willing to help throw the first legislative punch. "Society must send a clear message that these behaviors are not acceptable and will not be tolerated," Strickland said yesterday. "People who abuse and continue to abuse have come to assume that there will be no consequences. That needs to change. We should be looking at whatever we can to stop this terrible, terrible behavior." In response to a Dispatch investigation that showed Ohio's tolerance of and indifference toward domestic violence, Strickland called for a sweeping examination of, and reforms to, Ohio's approach to the crime. Some of the potential changes Strickland said the state should explore include: • Increasing penalties for repeat offenders, including stiffer punishment for those who violate civil-protection orders. • Strengthening domestic-violence laws so that prosecutors can follow through with cases even if the victim recants. • Establishing judicial review hearings that require convicted batterers to meet with a judge on a regular basis to prove they no longer are abusing and are complying with all court orders. • Forming fatality-review boards to examine the circumstances surrounding homicides involving domestic violence to determine where the system failed. No state has the perfect solution to protect victims and punish abusers, but some programs and policies elsewhere have proved successful in reducing domestic violence. "If we can learn from what other states have done, that would be very, very helpful," Strickland said. "There should be a clear difference between first-time offenders versus repeat offenders. I understand the need for intervention programs and getting them help, but if they repeat the abuse, I think you throw the book at them." Senate President Bill M. Harris, R-Ashland, and Democratic House Speaker Armond Budish of Beachwood both pledge support in finding ways to curb domestic violence. The four-month Dispatch investigation "Domestic Silence" found that at least 35 men in Franklin County have been charged at least five times on domestic-violence-related charges since 2000 but have spent little post-conviction time behind bars. In a Study of DV offender court cases in 2022, and the DV offenders entire criminal case history in Clark County, SDVC Found: Identification of 22 men with at least 21 to 50 criminal charges with between 7 to 41 of those charges as domestic violence. Identification of 38 men with at least 10 to 20 criminal charges with between 3 to 15 of those charges as domestic violence. These 60 Serial Domestic Violence offenders are habitual offenders with extensive criminal histories of multiple different crimes and additional charges for assault, robbery, and gun offenses. These men affect not only their current domestic violence victims and do harm to multiple members of the community with their actions. To be 100% clear, SDVC is addressing the issue of Serial Offenders. These serial offenders exhibit similar characteristics to serial killers, rapists, and pedophiles. The series also found that in the past nine years, the number of victims seeking protection orders in Ohio has nearly doubled. BELOW; Table Of petitions for civil domestic violence protection orders - and outcome (Clark County 2003 - 2023) Ohio law prefers arrests in domestic-violence cases, but only a few Ohio police departments make arrests in all cases About 45 percent of all 75,000 domestic-violence runs by police end without an arrest, which is close to the national average. The crime costs the cash-strapped state more than $1 billion annually in social services and medical care for victims. And if not properly addressed, domestic abuse can be fatal. Nearly 17,000 people, mainly women, are killed each year by an intimate partner, according to the National Coalition of Domestic Violence, a nonprofit advocacy group based in Denver. Although Strickland supports stiffer punishment for offenders, the governor also said that finding help for abusers is an important part of the solution. Strickland, a former prison psychologist, said Ohio should consider a mandatory program for batterers in an attempt to change their behavior. But he said that doing more to protect individuals and families living in abusive households should be the priority for state leaders as options to combat domestic violence are considered. "The terror and helplessness some people feel keeps them trapped," Strickland said. "It's our responsibility to give them a way out."

Based on a Springfield News-Sun article By Jessica Orozco April 17, 2024 ( https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/clark-county-republicans-one-faction-files-complaint-against-new-groups-leaders/DUMTJ6S735DIPNWHB7QJOSZY6I/ ) There are many questions that need to be asked. And SDVC has a ton of them. First, SDVC does not engage in politics, our fight is with Domestic Violence Offenders and Criminals and anyone or any agency that does not put the protection of DV Victims first! There are many issues with the current Sheriff's office that need to be answered. A ton of Grant money has come into the Sheriffs’ Office. February 14, 2018: The Sheriff’s office is one of six organizations to receive a $675K grant as part of an initiative to strengthen LE’s response to sexual and domestic violence. Source: https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/crime--law/clark-county-receives-675k-improve-domestic-violence-response/nCDJMXltWMa8tWIkbJ65tM/ July 30, 2018: OIC of Clark County gets $600K to train offenders, reduce jail numbers https://www.wdtn.com/news/local-news/dewine-awards-639k-to-clark-county-sheriffs-office/ March 15, 2024: Clark County has approved a $233.9 million budget for 2024, allocating large sums of money for the county sheriff’s office, building upgrades and community and economic development. https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/clark-county-approves-more-than-200-million-2024-budget/5JW4XQCYGRAUDPRWGVE7RP6CBU/ The Clark County Department of Reentry received about $500,000, part of which will fund a full-time administrative assistant position, department director Brooke Wagner told commissioners. This person will help Wagner with tasks like data collection and reporting required when the department receives grants, which will reduce the time it takes to apply for more grants. Once American Rescue Plan Act dollars are fully spent, the department will have to be funded by other means, like through the One Ohio Recovery Foundation, a nonprofit that works to address the opioid epidemic across the state. There have been many smaller size grants going to the Sheriff’s Office and Clark County Prosecutor's Office (Which we will detail in full-display). Grantees are expected to report on financial expenditures and activities/progress over the life of the award. There is also Grant compliance. This process ensures that grant funds are used and reported appropriately to the government. It includes standards, rules, and regulations that govern documentation management, data reporting, and measuring impact of the grant on the community or purposes intended. A ton of Grant Money had been secured through the Sheriff’s Office and Prosecutors Office to reduce Domestic Violence in the Springfield and Clark County community. As Clara Peller said so famously; Where’s the BEEF! Maybe there is a ton of corruption in Clark County, maybe not, but just show us how the money was spent, it should be easy.

See who gets paid 100,000 or more per year. See MS Excel Spreadsheet Below

James Lagos Partner in The Law Firm of Lagos & Lagos Surender Neravetla                     Physician - Springfield Heart Surgeon Alfred Calabrese                         DEAD Michael D. Calabrese                  Ex. Director - OIC of Clark County Mary Campbell-Zopf                    Deputy Director - Ohio Arts Council Diane Candia                                Clark County Democratic Executive Committee, Member Jeannette A. Chu                          Attorney - Chu Law Pamalee P. Churchill                  Springfield Ohio Phillip Clay                                 Springfield Ohio Gene & Carolyn Clifton                Dentist William  Cooke                            DEAD Clara Copeland                           Wife of Former Mayor Copeland Richard Cochenour                    Mineral Holder Living in Clark County, Oh Richard Blain                                Politician Formerly District 7, First Partner Properties LLC Suzanne Fachon-Kalweit            Wife of Former Cardiologist, Dr. Wilhelm Kalweit Donald J. & Carol A. Beelick        Springfield Ohio Melinda A. Barnhardt Secretary, Indivisible Springfield Ohio Jason Barlow                                Former President of The UAW Local 402 Charles Hart Charles Hart Real Estate a Billion Dollars in Residential And Commercial Curtis Brown                               Attorney - National Association of Credit Management John Woodrow DEAD -  Founded Woodrow Manufacturing & CEO Mohammed S Khan Director of cardiology services at Mercy Health Urbana Hospital Ravi Khanna Medical Oncology Specialist at Oncology Hematology Care, Inc. Cincinnati Ross McGregor State of Ohio Personnel Board of Review, President of Pentaflex. Stephen E Schutte DEAD - Practicing attorney in Springfield The below list of people have contributed $324,946.55  in 2023 and part of 2024 to political campaigns Nationally and locally in Springfield and Clark County just in the zip codes of 45501 to 45506 SOURCE;  Federal Election Commission https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_zip=45501&contributor_zip=45502&contributor_zip=45503&contributor_zip=45504&contributor_zip=45505&contributor_zip=45506&two_year_transaction_period=2024&min_date=01%2F01%2F2023&max_date=12%2F31%2F2024&contributor_state=OH FIRST LAST SUM OF DONATIONS JAMES LAGOS $69,400.00 CHARLES HART $44,013.74 SUZANNE FACHON KALWEIT $25,811.62 CURTIS BROWN $24,030.00 SURENDER NERAVETLA $18,000.00 JOHN WOODROW $7,976.22 RICHARD BLAIN $7,001.16 NIKE LAGOS $6,600.00 ROSS MCGREGOR $6,332.81 WILLIAM COOKE $6,181.14 KATHLEEN TRAUB $5,817.05 STEPHEN SHUTTE $5,400.00 KATHLEEN MOORE $5,192.00 SARAH TACKETT $5,138.88 WILLIAM TINKER $5,078.48 JAKE LITTLEJOHN $5,000.00 GARTH LOUGH $4,753.90 STEPHEN DUNHAM $4,301.39 RON KLINE $3,761.93 JANET KUSHMAUL $3,760.00 MUHAMMAD ASHRAF $3,755.00 SUZANNE COLLINS $3,303.01 LARRY PEGRAM $3,300.00 MOHAMMED KHAN $3,100.00 MARY CAMPBELL ZOPF $3,057.17 SCOTT HAERR $3,000.00 KEITH MURGATROYD $2,779.25 WILLIAM GROVES $2,668.80 JOYCE GENTRY $2,650.00 JEREMY MITCHELL $2,625.82 HAROLD CAIN $2,589.66 TIMOTHY ROBERTS $2,542.00 RICKI PEPIN $2,450.00 CLARA COPELAND $2,396.30 RAVI KHANNA $2,329.12 KEITH HOFFMAN $2,285.60 LAURA ROSENBERGER $2,150.00 BETTY ENGEL $2,139.00 DIANA HEATON $2,127.00 MARY ALLARDYCE $2,062.50 ALMA RUTHERFORD $2,052.00 DONALD BEELICK $2,034.00 CHRISTOPHER GILSON $2,000.00 SABRI SALHIEH $2,000.00 SUM TOTAL   $324,946.55 Here is the list of donors with Springfield Zip Codes. Total amount donated and to which candidate and political party

Using official data and crime statistics to define a city's violent crime rate is crucial for several reasons: Accuracy and Reliability: Official data is collected and compiled by law enforcement agencies and government bodies, making it more reliable than anecdotal evidence or personal perceptions. This data undergoes rigorous collection and analysis processes to ensure accuracy. Objectivity: Official data is less prone to biases and distortions that can be present in anecdotal accounts or media reports. It provides a more objective picture of the crime situation in a city. Comparability: Official crime statistics allow for comparisons between cities, regions, and over time. This is essential for identifying trends, evaluating the effectiveness of crime prevention strategies, and making informed policy decisions. Public Awareness: Official data informs the public about the level of crime in their community. This awareness can lead to increased vigilance, support for crime prevention initiatives, and demands for accountability from officials. Evidence-Based Decision Making: Policymakers, law enforcement, and community organizations rely on official crime data to make informed decisions about crime prevention strategies, resource allocation, and policy changes. Is using official data a way to make an informed decision? Absolutely. Official data provides a factual basis for understanding the nature and extent of violent crime in a city. By analyzing these statistics, you can: Assess the safety of a neighborhood Support or oppose policy changes Make personal safety choices However, it's important to note that official data is not perfect. It may not capture all crimes, and there may be variations in how different agencies collect and report data. Nonetheless, it remains the most reliable and objective source of information for understanding a city's violent crime rate. Resources for Crime and Health Data City of Springfield Police Department Request For Information https://springfieldohio.gov/city_services/records-and-reports/ For current and updated information on Crime Data and Domestic Violence, citizens can request publicly available data. Example of Request Your Full Name Organization (if applicable) Your Address Your Phone Number Your Email State in the email you will be willing to provide your Date of Birth and Social if needed. State how you want the report format: MS Excel Spreadsheet, PDF, Text Document, etc.. State how you want to receive the report: ‘Please send the report via email if possible or that you would be willing to come to the Police Department to receive the report. Request should be made stating” You are not requesting any personally identifiable information (i.e. Social Security Number, Date of Birth, Drivers License Number, etc.) Data requests can contain anything that is of public nature , or what is published in News Reports (Here is an example of data printed in the Springfield News-Sun, July 19, 2024) John S. Marion, 22, of 3756 Lawrenceville Drive, felonious assault - Arrested on July 18, 2024) Specify a data range for the data you request, for example; From January 1, 2022, to January 31, 2023 If you want Specific data explain what it is you are requesting, for example: I’m requesting data within the specified time frame listing any person (age 18 or older) arrested on the below following crimes by Springfield Police Department: Domestic Violence Assault and Aggravated Assault Felonious Assault Felonious Assault/Weapon Menacing and Aggravated Assault Menacing Clark County Sheriff's Office Request For Information https://www.clarkcountyohio.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5755/Request-for-Copy-of-Report?bidId= Clark County, Ohio, Sheriff - Persons Currently In Custody http://www.clark.miamivalleyjails.org/ The Clark County Sheriff's Office has two ways to access data. First, the same rules apply for requesting data on offenders and crime from the Sheriff’s Office as just mentioned for The Springfield Police Department. The second is searching for persons in custody within the Clark County Jail. The website allows a citizen to search based on a person's last name or initial. City of Springfield Municipal Prosecutor's Office (Case Search and Inquiry) https://clerkofcourts.municipal.co.clark.oh.us/web.nsf/CaseSearch?OpenForm This is a Case Search Inquiry. The website will allow users to search by Criminal case, Traffic Case, Civil Case, Parking Case and Temporary Protection Order Case. The search will display the subject's entire Criminal Case history in Clark County, All the subjects court documents, dispositions, sentences and police reports. Clark County Prosecutor's Office (Case Search and Inquiry) https://commonpleas.clarkcountyohio.gov/eservices/home.page.2 The case information contained within this web site is generated from computerized records maintained by the Clark County Clerk of Courts and is deemed to be public information. The site will allow the user to search the subject's entire court case history. Department of Justice Statistics for Clark County https://www.justice.gov/doj/statistics-available-department-justice The Department of Justice provides statistics on a wide variety of subjects. The component links below will help you find what you're looking for but you should also consider searching all Department of Justice websites to find exactly what you need. This is a good site to find aggregate statistics on various crimes Nationally and by state. FBI Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/LATEST/webapp/#/pages/home Federal Bureau of Investigation | Crime Data Explorer The FBI's Crime Data Explorer (CDE) aims to provide transparency, create easier access, and expand awareness of criminal, and noncriminal, law enforcement data sharing; improve accountability for law enforcement; and provide a foundation to help shape public policy with the result of a safer nation. Use the CDE to discover available data through visualizations, download data in .csv format, and other large data files FBI National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) https://le.fbi.gov/informational-tools/ucr/ucr-technical-specifications-user-manuals-and-data-tools#NIBRS The UCR was discontinued in 2022 and was replaced by NIBRS. This site has State and City crime data. As the UCR Program transitions to a NIBRS-only data collection, changes have been implemented at the national level, though not all have been adopted by state and local agencies at this time. Applicable specifications are identified below. Ohio Incident-Based Reporting System (OIBRS) https://ocjs.ohio.gov/law-enforcement-services/ohio-incidentbased-reporting-system The Ohio Statistical Analysis Center collects crime data from every county and city in the State of Ohio. The website has a crime dashboard and the dashboard visualizes statewide monthly offense counts and rates across categories of crime, reported by Ohio law enforcement agencies. Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (OBCI) https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Files/Reports/Domestic-Violence-Reports The Ohio Attorney General's Office has a wide range of data collection on crime and Domestic Violence. The AG’s office is mandated to collect certain data as per the Ohio Revised Code for Uniform Criminal Reporting. Ohio Public Health Data Warehouse (OPHD) https://odh.ohio.gov/explore-data-and-stats/published-reports The Data & Statistics website at OPHD has a list of interactive applications, published reports and other resources related to data and analyses at ODH The National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS)   https://wisqars.cdc.gov/ This website collects information about violent deaths including homicides, suicides, and deaths caused by law enforcement acting in the line of duty. NVDRS Violent Deaths Report: Reports for All Ages include those of unknown age. Manner of death reported here is assigned by the state abstractor based on all available standard NVDRS data sources. WISQARS National Violent Death Reporting System Pregnancy Status is for females of reproductive age, 15 to 49.   Find out how Clark County Spends their money https://checkbook.ohio.gov/local/counties.aspx?municipality=Clark%20County Local government information featured on the Ohio Checkbook shows local spending grouped by Counties. Users can filter and display data down to the single transaction level. Putting government transparency at your fingertips. See how much Springfield City Employees get paid per year. https://www.daytondailynews.com/data/news/payroll-project/ Using Ohio public records laws or other available resources, the Dayton Daily News has acquired payroll data for area counties, cities, townships and public colleges and universities.

City of Springfield and Clark County official policy statement: "Higher (Domestic Violence) numbers aren't always a bad thing." - Racial Injustice Our local elected officials and county government agencies need to be transparent about violent crime and domestic violence occurring in Clark County. Recently, in a July 16 television news report conducted by ABC News, Channel 22 Dayton, a poor attempt was made by the City of Springfield to confirm their commitment to addressing domestic violence in which they vigorously claimed to be working with the Clark County Sheriff's Office to reduce domestic violence. Again, The City's claim of addressing the rising Domestic Violence and Crime was without presenting any facts, data, or evidence to support their claim. Rigorous research and investigation spanning from 2017 to the present for ANY presentation of data or research have NEVER surfaced in the media or public reports presented by City or County agencies, City Commissioners, County Commissioners, The Springfield Police Department, or Clark County Sheriff's Department. Furthermore, in the news report conducted by ABC News, Channel 22 Dayton, Sergeant Denise Jones, the Intimate Partner Violence supervisor for the Clark County Sheriff's Office, said: "The statistics do not show the whole picture because sometimes higher numbers mean more victims are reporting abuse instead of deciding not to report it." Sgt Jones says, "I know everybody kind of hyper-focuses on your numbers are up," said Jones. "Higher numbers aren't always a bad thing". Source: https://dayton247now.com/news/local/springfield-domestic-violence-coalition-releases-new-data-with-some-troubling-trends The Clark County Sheriff's Office made an official policy statement. Sergeant Denise Jones was in uniform and addressed the media on behalf of the Clark County Sheriff's Office. Furthermore, the City of Springfield made the official statement on behalf of the Public Safety Director, stating on air, "The City is working with the Clark County Sheriff's Sheriff's Office..." Official statements made on behalf of The Clark County Sheriff's Office (whom Sgt Jones Represents) and by Public Safety Director Jason Via are unacceptable. These statements implicitly and explicitly state that there is no concern for the well-being of Domestic violence, and by their own words, imply "Higher (Domestic Violence) numbers aren't always a bad thing." As Executive Director of Springfield Domestic Violence Coalition, I will be actively engaged and vigorously urge citizen voters and our many members of the coalition to make changes at the ballot box by actively urging that ALL three members of the Clark County Commissioners get voted out of office. Furthermore, since The City of Springfield made no retractions of statements nor opposition to those statements or public notice of retraction to those statements was made by any City Commissioners on this issue, I will be actively engaged and vigorously urging citizen voters to make sure at election time ALL five City Commissioners be voted out of office. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Flax Wilt, Melanie 937-521-2005 McGlothin, Lowell 937-521-2005 Rittenhouse, Sasha 937-521-2005 SPRINGFIELD OHIO COMMISSIONERS Mr. Rob Rue (Mayor) Dr. David Estrop Mrs. Krystal Brown Ms. Bridget Houston Mrs. Tracy Tackett Lastly, I will contact the Department of Justice about possible Civil Rights violations and address issues of Constitutional rights violations based on those statements. Springfield Domestic Violence Coalition will notify the Ohio Domestic Violence Network, Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence, Artemis Center, Dayton's Domestic Violence Resource Agency, Violence Free Futures of Xenia, and The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) on the County's Official statements and The City of Springfields adherence to Clark County Domestic Violence Statement. Lastly, since there is an exponential increase of African American women being assaulted through Intimate Partner Violence it is imperative to notify the local and national chapters of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Department of Justice civil rights violation: https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/ ACLU Ohio: https://action.aclu.org/legal-intake/ohio-legal-intake Ohio Domestic Violence Network: https://www.odvn.org/ Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence: https://oaesv.org/ Artemis Center, Dayton's Domestic Violence Resource Agency: https://www.artemiscenter.org/   Violence Free Futures of Xenia: https://www.violencefreefutures.org/ The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV): https://ncadv.org/ SDVC calls on Clark County and The City of Springfield officials to take immediate action to address the rising rates of domestic violence and to prioritize the safety and well-being of victims. We urge the community to hold their elected officials accountable and demand a change in attitude toward this critical issue. Beth Donahue  Executive Director - Springfield Domestic Violence Coalition (SDVC)  https://www.springfielddvc.com   Cell: 937-591-5054  Email: beth@springfielddvc.com

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (WKEF) -- A new report from the Springfield Domestic Violence Coalition is showing shifting trends in domestic violence in its July Progress Report 2024. The group does these reports monthly, compiling data from all levels, national, state, county and city to keep a pulse on the problem. A representative from the group said when they talked to city officials, there was not enough focus on the problem as a whole because jurisdictions mostly only pay attention to data from their agencies. “What they ended up doing is pretty much dismissing the whole pie of domestic violence and really only wanting to claim their little pieces of the pie saying ‘Well, we’re responsible for this, and Clark County’s responsible for that,' but this is a whole community,” James Steward, a Springfield Domestic Violence Coalition member and criminologist said. Steward was at the city commission meeting on Tuesday, July 16 to share new data with officials. This month’s report revealed some concerning trends. Even though domestic violence has decreased between married couples, it has increased between non-married couples living together. “In Springfield, the percentage of husbands arrested for DV decreased from 16.9% in 2011 to 11.6% in 2023, while the percentage of wives as victims also declined from 17.1% in 2016 to 9.7% in 2023,” said the report. However, intimate partner violence of “live-in partners” increased from 18.4% in 2012 to 30.6% in 2023, according to the report. Victims are also getting younger on average with the mean age of female victims who reported abuse in Springfield moving from 28.5 years-old in 2010 to 22.6 years-old in 2023 the report revealed. Another troubling statistic has to do with violence toward Black women in Springfield. “The percentage of Black female victims increased from 20.7% in 2011 to 31.7% in 2023,” said the report. Steward said another problem is the amount of cases being dismissed in court. “So, that is a vicious cycle going around and they go back out and they recommit these same crimes, which has developed a domestic violence serial offender,” said Steward. The Clark County Sheriff’s Office received a grant in 2017 and since then, more resources have been dedicated toward a program to help victims and hold abusers accountable. Part of receiving $675,000 is reporting on performance measures. How did this money impact Clark County and the City of Springfield in the reduction of Domestic Violence? Where's the Data, what are the performance measures used to determine effectiveness? February 14, 2018: The Sheriff’s office is one of six organizations to receive a $675K grant as part of an initiative to strengthen LE’s response to sexual and domestic violence. The grant will provide the sheriff’s office with resources, support, training and technical assistance to build capacity “and raise awareness of the existence and impact of gender bias on responses to domestic and sexual violence,” according to a news release. The Clark County sheriff’s office will work with several national agencies, including the chiefs association, U.S. Department of Justice, the Office for Victims of Crime and the National Crime Victim Law Institute “to identify aspects of agency culture that may create or sustain biases, develop sustainable strategies to address and eliminate the impact of bias on the response to and investigation of sexual and domestic violence, and implement trauma-informed, victim-centered procedures agency-wide. https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/crime--law/clark-county-receives-675k-improve-domestic-violence-response/nCDJMXltWMa8tWIkbJ65tM/ Sergeant Denise Jones, the Intimate Partner Violence supervisor for the Clark County Sheriff’s Office said the statistics do not show the whole picture because sometimes higher numbers mean more victims are reporting abuse instead of deciding not to report it. More victims report DV because they don't want to report - WHAT? “I know everybody kind of hyper-focuses on your numbers are up,” said Jones. “Higher numbers aren’t always a bad thing. Sgt Jones said it - IT IS ALWAYS a bad thing when DOMESTIC VIOLENCE NUMBERS ARE HIGH! Q: Is this the Official Policy of Clark County? Q: Is the Official policy of the Clark County Sheriff's Office? If this is an official statement made on behalf of Clark County (who Sgt Jones Represents), then citizen voters need to make sure ALL three members of the Clark County Commissioners get voted out of office. This implicitly implies there is absolute no concern for the well-being of Domestic Violence Victims - which are residents of Clark County If I’m doing a good job and I’m out in the community and they know we have a solid program, which we do here in Clark County, they’re more apt to follow up with me, more apt to interact with me.” Why do Domestic Violence victims need to follow up with you? YOU need to follow up with them! Victims need protection orders, solid probable cause reports to prosecute offenders, GPS tracking on violent offenders and serial offender, victims need to be protected from intimidation by offenders that keep them from testifying. Springfield’s Deputy Director of Public Safety said the city is constantly working with other agencies, including the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and community partners to decrease this type of violence. The City has no data, The City of Springfield HAS never... NEVER presented data on this subject. All talk and no ACTION. Springfield Police Department reporting to OBCI on Domestic Violence have months of unreported data. Municipal Prosecutor DiBartalo has NEVER presented data on the courts dispositions for Domestic Violence. “I feel like our people who are in the trenches if you will of this subject are our subject matter experts, and what we hear consistently is that there’s always room for improvement,” Jason Via, the deputy director of public safety for Springfield said. “The city of Springfield is dedicated to continuing these partnerships to support our victims of domestic violence and this issue does remain at the forefront.” Steward said that part of the problem with the data is that each agency at each level defines domestic violence differently. He added that organizations that work with victims often have separate data that is not reflected in criminal data. He said these two data sets need to be combined and analyzed to see the whole picture of the problem. Please, Please, let's start talking about things that matter. Let's have a conversation about Arrests of offenders, Courts cases of offenders and their outcomes. Let's get down to business about understanding the demographics of victims and offenders and defining our most vulnerable population and what measures The City and County need to take to start reducing Domestic Violence.

Will the Mayor and Commissioners listen and take action?

Springfield, Ohio, like many cities across the nation, is grappling with a surge in domestic violence. However, within this crisis lies a disturbing trend that demands immediate attention: the disproportionate impact on the Black community, particularly young Black women. This issue is not merely a matter of statistics; it's a failure of leadership, a breakdown of community support, and a stark example of systemic neglect. SEE THE FULL REPORT BELOW (PDF) Increasing assaults on young Black women in the City of Springfield! Reports of young Black women being assaulted by Black men are rising at an alarming rate. DV incidents often go unreported due to fear, stigma, and a lack of trust in the system, therefore rates of victimization could be exceedingly higher. Soaring domestic violence cases: The number of domestic violence cases in Springfield is skyrocketing, placing an immense burden on the court system and straining resources. The high rate of cases and the High dismissal rates are Shocking. Many domestic violence cases involving Black men are dismissed in both municipal and common pleas courts. This sends a dangerous message that such violence is tolerated or even condoned. Serial offenders: Multiple individuals with histories of domestic violence are roaming free in Springfield, perpetuating a cycle of abuse and terrorizing the community. Gun violence connection: A clear link exists between domestic violence and gun violence, creating an even more volatile and deadly situation. Bottom Line: Despite the overwhelming evidence, there seems to be a reluctance among Black community leaders and government officials to acknowledge the severity of this crisis. This inaction is not just a political failure; it's a moral one. By failing to address this issue head-on, they are complicit in the suffering of countless individuals and families. The silence surrounding this crisis is deafening. It's time for the Black community to break the silence, demand accountability, and advocate for meaningful solutions. It's time for government leaders to step up, allocate resources, and implement policies that protect the most vulnerable. This crisis is a complex issue, however there are answers to decrease this increasing perpetuation of violence. The first step towards a solution is acknowledging the problem and having the courage to confront it. Springfield, Ohio, can no longer afford to ignore the cries for help. It's time to take action and break the cycle of violence that is tearing the Black community apart.

SPRINGFIELD DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COALITION - POLICY PAPER In this country, 31 million crimes are reported every year. That is one every second out of every 60 minutes. There is a murder every five minutes. There is a rape every five minutes. There is a sexual assault every nine seconds in this country. This paper will discuss how to use victim-centric techniques to enhance Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) on-scene and follow-up investigations, use sustainable best practices to increase survivors' safety and aid successful prosecution. We will discuss these methods for bringing calm to chaos through police reports and affidavits, presenting the importance of capturing and documenting Intimate Partner Violence dynamics of control and fear and using effective police report writing language. Crimes Against Women involving intimate partners are not only some of the most complex to investigate but also the most difficult for law enforcement to translate into words. A woman is assaulted by someone who told her that they loved her, by someone who told her it was her fault, by someone who tries to tell the rest of us that it is none of our business. We need to call that perpetrator a liar! INTRODUCTION First, one must understand the complexities of a domestic violence investigation and how that might differ from other crimes. We must first start with part of the label of saying that they are intimate partners and that, by design, lends to keeping things concealed. Research has demonstrated that victim concealment of these types of crimes can be for many reasons. Research will also show that most survivors either did not call the police or did not call the police, hoping to become a part of the criminal justice system. The Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) survivor does not owe us anything. Often, law enforcement receives a call for service because someone in the immediate area has called out of concern or the victim of the violence called for law enforcement because what was happening was too scary or overwhelmed their normal coping abilities. They needed or wanted help at that moment. Thus, law enforcement needs to be able to go to the incident reported, meet the survivors where they are, and understand that there may be times when victims will not engage with law enforcement. Furthermore, the victim may not participate in a prosecutorial investigation. In that moment, law enforcement must attempt to keep the focus on not overwhelming a situation and reframe it to prevent the situation from becoming even more intense. The type of law enforcement training that is the hardest is talking about intimate partner violence. Dealing with a non-participating survivor is not like a homicide, where the victim can no longer speak. In those cases, law enforcement does not simply give up and say there is no cooperation from the victim because they cannot or refuse to talk with law enforcement. In Intimate partner violence, law enforcement needs to focus on what the evidence presents and what the crime scene presents. It is vitally important to approach an IPV incident and process the layers in the investigation to learn more about what may have occurred at that moment and the events that led up to the incident. The research reveals that law enforcement often suspends everyday investigative practices regarding IPV, and then it is commonly used for other crimes. For example, law enforcement will collect evidence to assess the scene of a burglary-related crime. They will ask questions about what happened before the crime occurred. They will ask the victim when they leave the property. Did the victim lock the doors? They will ask the victim what time they returned to the property. When did the victim discover this crime occurred? Was the window broken, or did someone break in through the door? For example, in most sexual assault crime cases, a detective arrives at the crime scene and meets with the victim within the proximity of the occurrence. Law enforcement will probably focus on collecting evidence at a scene, collecting evidence from the victim through medical evaluations, or even collecting evidence on or around the perpetrator.  For example, in crimes of child abuse, there is a similar protocol in sexual assault crime case response. The difference would be that law enforcement will investigate things like grooming and use protocol of recognizable grooming concepts, and that process will be part of the investigation.  Why are there still issues with the City of Springfield and Clark County law enforcement with Domestic Violence investigations? Why do prosecutors still expect that all of the evidence must depend on the statements of the parties involved and on the victim's testimony? Why does the prosecutor's case come down to what she said and what he said? The data will show that the relationship between a disposition of dismissal and disposition of guilty depend on the survivor providing the evidence, often when they do not want to. Why is the victim's credibility, and the ability to testify the defining factor?. In most IPV criminal cases, the data will show that the victim is disadvantaged when law enforcement arrives at an incident. First, when law enforcement arrives, the abuser is very calm and collected, and the survivor is very dramatic and very emotional, and both subjects do not have chronological recollection. However, where most law enforcement fails is the understanding that the abuser is the person who is in control. They are the puppet masters. Abusers have no reason to be emotional and upset like a survivor. The data will show that law enforcement unfairly often Judge victims, and that's why most victims aren't believed because at the incident, law enforcement perceives the victim as not making sense, and law enforcement does not take into account the reasons why that might be. Law enforcement needs to rely more heavily on the process and protocols of a homicide investigation, use those accepted practices used in other types of crimes, and thoroughly investigate not only what is happening at the crime scene but all of those other things they might investigate. Law enforcement should start by questioning the abuser and victim as to what was leading up to events. Law enforcement needs to get away from discarding verbal accounts and use those verbal accounts to make decisions.   LAW ENFORCEMENT BODY-WORN CAMERA (EBWC) The EBWC can give us a sense of what happened on a scene. EBWC can capture a tearful survivor, and a survivor who is very distraught. The officer's body-worn camera works better than photos and can capture those moments. EBWC, at the very least, can aid in the investigative processes. It gives the courts a grand picture, not just of the event that occurred that night, but the movie that shows the interaction of lives. When law enforcement arrives at scenes or homes with EBWC, a domestic disturbance captured on EBWC is like taking a police report.  IMPORTANCE OF INTENTIONAL LANGUAGE Law enforcement and first responders are usually the first to report a crime. The importance of intentional language in police reports for investigators is 100% essential to getting it right on the scene, and the opportunities for things to go well from there are lessened. The investment in training is providing awareness to line officers that they can and are ready to conduct thorough investigations to allow them to make informed decisions—furthermore, training on how to accurately record what they did and what they saw on a scene. Training should strongly encourage responders to avoid writing just summaries, to be able to detail events and break down in documentation what they saw on scene. For example, what were the demeanors of the parties? What did they say? What did they not say? What did they answer? What would they not answer? When someone provides a non-responsive reply, keep documenting the interview and documenting questions such as asking the offender how things escalated into things getting physical. If a suspect states, "Well, I would never hurt her"? Document that the offender's reply did not answer the question. In all investigations, law enforcement may overlook things, and it is essential not to avoid going back and asking more questions. Again, understand and realize offenders do not answer the exact question of what was asked of them. This interview conduct should be reflected in the initial report because that demonstrates the offender's lack of participation. Documenting this questioning will draw out the suspect to show the court and prosecutor the purposeful intent of the offender to mislead and confuse the investigation. Unlike other types of crimes, for IPV, there is a need to have a stronger emphasis on making sure law enforcement reports are getting it right. In those cases where someone is not participating in the investigation, limiting participation, or just isn't interpreting what had occurred, don't evaluate things and simply fall back and report that someone is a victim or a suspect. Make sure that when documenting both parties, judgmental language is not added. It is essential to provide accurate depictions of the conversations, and the information subjects provide because bias can very easily go into a report.  When and if a case eventually ends up in a courtroom in front of a Judge as a type of domestic violence, is it necessary for the Judge to know about these crimes? Commonly, first-line responders and investigators interact with Judges at the phase of probable cause. It is important to remember that Judges can only assess probable cause based on the four corners of the probable cause affidavit. Therefore, write a few things down within the affidavit and then sit and converse verbally with the Judge. First, Judges need to be able to assess all the written things throughout the law enforcement report, precisely probable cause. The report must say a crime occurred at a location within our jurisdiction at a specified time or time range.  Second, when developing probable cause, tell how law enforcement knew a crime occurred. For domestic violence cases, introduce the relationship, not just one way they are related, but all the ways they are related. For example, the report can mention the victim was dating the offender, living with the offender, in a former relationship, and the victim is the biological mother of the child. The report can state the victim and offender are members of the same household and define the family relationship. A defendant could dispute any of those, but it would be tough to dispute them all.  Third, by including an accurate depiction of what the involvement is regarding IPV, then telling the story of the event, and showing what crime occurred, presents a logical sequence of events. Furthermore, stating that the victim also reported these things that have happened in the past is a must in all reporting. Presenting this information and being able to tell the Judge and prosecutor, "We have these past incidents in our archives at our agency - all of these reports." Establish a noticeable pattern where the offenses increase frequency and escalate into more violence. The Judge and prosecutor must know that law enforcement has been at the location before or has arrested the offender under the same circumstances. The conversation should detail a total and count of these occurrences, the number of times within the past month, past six months, and past year, and, in Springfield's case, the number of lifetime occurrences. Recording this data might tell a Judge that some things are dangerous for the victim.  IPV LETHALITY SCREENING Some agencies have an assault victim statement that can be completed anytime there is a domestic violence assault. Included with the assault victim statement is a lethality screening, which can be included in a probable cause affidavit. These lethality screenings provide bullet points of the questions that a victim answered affirmatively. The Judge would get the questions and then the survivor's response to the lethality screening. Therefore, law enforcement provides more information and context for the Judge. For example, The question might be phrased, Does the offender have a gun? Can the offender obtain a Gun quickly? Note that there is a difference between getting a gun and having one. However, the Judge can assess all of those things. The ability to provide the Judge and prosecutor with all the information that shows that this individual is doing scary or dangerous things is essential. Furthermore, including things like the offender's criminal history is especially important because it gives opportunities for enhancements in certain crimes based on prior convictions. Criminal history also gives the Judge a well-rounded picture, not only for the relationship and the dynamics between the two parties but also for the individual victim. Doing so allows the  Judge to accurately discern whether probable cause exists and then use that information to issue a protective order. The Judge can also make decisions on whether to issue bond orders. Furthermore, when days, weeks, months, or later, an attorney might come back to the court requesting their client to be released on bond, and the Judge can then access the assault victim's statement and Lethality Screening potentially to assess whether or not that would be appropriate. ADMISSIBLE EVIDENCE Most officers think that whatever they do and everything they gain on a Domestic Violence crime scene is going to be admissible in the trial, and that is true. What is and is not admissible is sometimes how things can be conditional and learning about special laws that were in effect specific to domestic violence. For example, things like showing patterns of the abuse could potentially be admitted into the guilt-innocence phase of a trial, where it is most likely going to be used in a punishment. Unlike other crimes where the defendant will have a DWI and the person has already been convicted a couple of times. The jury will not know that information because they assess whether they are guilty or innocent in that particular event. There is the potential for some of those criminal patterns to be introduced. Responding to a crime scene, whether it was a domestic disturbance or maybe an assault, law enforcement must still thoroughly investigate, document, and capture those dynamics; that is information that might later play into one of these cases where it might be appropriate for that information to come in a trial where there was a physical assault or some other type of crime. Other things where an officer might be able to testify about things that might otherwise be hearsay because a defendant has influenced the survivor's participation to come and testify in court. Being able to capture those things and some things like that could be viewed as showing signs of intimidation on the scene or from the jail call instructing the victim to complete an affidavit of non-prosecution. In some cases, non-testimony is as simple as the offender professing that they will change or love their victim. However, law enforcement officers must acknowledge that with certain serial offenders, there is potential for the unavailability of a victim to come forward; the job of law enforcement is to collect any and everything present during those incidents and interactions that allow prosecutors to have a better and fair evaluation of what is going on to develop their trial strategies.  CONCLUSION We have to consider that every IPV victim's experiences are different, and we have to consider that sometimes, officers are responding and going from call to call, and they may forget some things. So, being able to go one step further and provide those details is incredibly helpful. As more investigations pass law enforcement should be still determining where one piece will connect to another, and it may not be today, during this event. However, because IPV is not isolated to single events, it could be something potentially years later. How can investigators recognize this type of situation and approach their investigation? Again, law enforcement should not think of the most minimal way to describe an IPV incident. Providing only summary reports opens the possibility of the wrong person being arrested, and when a survivor is arrested, most frequently, the victim will never trust police again and always will refer to this incident and never cooperate. Therefore, it is best  going back through all of the components of having a thorough investigation. Moreover, limiting investigations to verbal statements, not looking at crime scenes, or not taking advantage of a crime scene leaves only limited information to decide the fate of the victim being re-offended. Research shows that abusers typically have a way to abuse, specifically whether it's a physical assault, strangulation, or property damage, and we know that those things continue sometimes with different partners. Just like all serial criminals, domestic violence abusers have learned practices. Abusers are great at finding something that works for them, just like carpenters with specific tools they use in everyday life. When IPV criminals abuse, they are abusing in a way that whatever they are doing, they like to use those methods as well. When writing reports, it is essential to understand the tools abusers use, especially when determining the predominant aggressor. Use a victim statement to investigate the historical events of what has happened in the past to investigate that crime scene. Investigate the frequency of 911 calls and identify and interview witnesses so that it is as informed as possible when making a decision.  Beth Donahue Executive Director