Intimate Partner Homicides can be predicted and prevented. This evidence-based, best practice plan will save lives.

1. BUNCOMBE COUNTY
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
HOLLY JONES COUNTY COMMISSIONER
MANDY STONE
ASSISTANT COUNTY
MANAGER

3. Domestic Violence Homicides
• 2008-2013:
– 679 DV murders in NC
–– 24 DV murders in Buncombe County
2013 NC
Guilford County – 11
Buncombe County & Wake County – 8
Buncombe – 5 were intimate partner

4. MISSION WOMEN AND
CHILDREN’’S SAFETY COALITION
MISSION HOSPITAL & MAHEC leading a collaboration with
many community stakeholders for several years
Chair: Dr. Kellet Letson, MAHEC
Buncombe County Comprehensive Plan working in partnership
with the Mission Coalition to meet common objectives to
reduce homicides, improve reporting and to improve the
delivery of services to victims and offenders.

5. BUNCOMBE COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PLAN
• Layers multiple programs for better
outcomes.
• Each program is an evidence based best
practice.
• Objective is to hold offenders accountable &
keep victims safe.
• Strategies are individualized to meet the
needs of our community.

6. Buncombe County Comprehensive Plan
on Domestic Violence
“eNOugh” Campaign
Increasing public
awareness
Based on work by NC Council
for Women & NC Domestic
Violence Commission
Cross System Dialogue
Improving
communication
Focused Deterrence
Prevention strategies for
previous offenders
Based on work by National
Council of Family and Juvenile
Court Judges
Based on work in High Point,
NC
Safe
communities
free from
Electronic Monitoring
Tracking offenders for victim
safety
High Risk Team
Offender & victim
interventions
domestic
violence
Based on work in Pitt County, NC
Lethality Assessments
Evaluating danger to
victims
Based on work in Greater
Newburyport, Massachusetts
Based on work by Dr. Jacquelyn
Campbell, John Hopkins
University and Maryland
Domestic Violence Network

7. LAW ENFORCEMENT STRATEGIES
(1) Offender Focused Deterrence,
(2) Domestic Violence High Risk Team,
(3) Lethality Assessment Program for First Responders,
(4) Electronic Monitoring
Chief William Anderson Sheriff Van Duncan

8. INTIMATE PARTNER HOMICIDES
1. They can be predicted
Lethality Assessments
2. They can be prevented
Escalation of domestic violence to lethal levels follows
predictable patterns;
Disrupting the pattern of increase in severity and frequency of
violence reduces the lethal risk.
3. There is opportunity to intervene
More than half of victims & offenders interact with court
system, health care system or victim services within
one year prior to murder

9. Lethality Training
• Critical information for effective safety planning
• Dr. Campbell – trained more than 500
professionals, law enforcement officials,
advocates & service providers
• Lethality Assessment Program for First
Responders – law enforcement, fire, ambulance,
child protective services, ER,911 operators
– Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence Grant training in January 2015
– Grant Awarded to Helpmate, BCSD, APD & Woodfin PD

10. Domestic Violence
High Risk Team
• Multidisciplinary team
•• Meets on a regular basis
• Gathers & shares important
information concerning risk factors
• Creates, implements and monitors
– a safety plan for victim
– a containment plan for offender

11. Massachusetts Model High
Risk Team Six Year Study
• 249 DV homicides in counties without a High
Risk Team
•• -0- DV homicides in counties with a High Risk
Team
•• In 2010 statewide one person died on average
every 8 days due to a domestic violence related
incident….but no one died in a county with a
High Risk Team

12. Massachusetts Model Victim
Outcomes Six Year Study
• 93% of victims safely remained in the community
and only 7% entered shelter for safety
• Only 8% of victims reported new act of domestic
violence
• 90% of victims engaged in services

13. ELECTRONIC MONITORING
• County added 20 units dedicated for domestic violence
cases where the judge decides to add electronic
monitoring as a condition of pretrial release
• Electronic monitoring is available when court ordered for
defendants as a condition of probation
• Victim Units – victim has option to have a unit and be
notified when the defendant violates condition of
electronic monitoring

14. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OFFENDER
FOCUSED DETERRENCE
• A law enforcement strategy
• to a targeted offender group
• consistent messaging that criminal behavior will not be
tolerated by the community
• community driven not victim driven
• includes all offenders – 1st call for service to most lethal
offenders
• Expanding our current Gang & Violent Offender program
to include a Domestic Violence Plan

15. HIGH POINT DV FOCUSED
DETERRENCE OUTCOMES
• 2004 – 2008: 17 domestic violence homicides
• 2009 – 2013: 1 domestic violence homicide
• 75 fewer arrests in 6 month period in 2013 as compared
to same 6 months in 2012
• Recidivism rate for notified offenders: 7.4%

16. MESSAGE TO OFFENDER
1. We do not tolerate domestic violence in our
community;
2. We will not tolerate your domestic violence behavior &
there will be consequences;
3. We care about you and will refer you to services if you
want help (such as substance abuse, employment, mental health)
4. Your community is telling you to stop, not your victim;
5. Domestic violence has long term damaging effects on
your children and family.

17. MARYLAND LAP
2006-2010
• 81% of the total population of Maryland was served –
more than 4 million citizens
• 22,428 people were screened for risk of lethality by a
first responder
• The percentage of victims engaging in services
increased from 28% to 56%
In the past 3 years…
A 41% drop in intimate partner homicides in
Maryland.

18. Buncombe County
Comprehensive Plan on Domestic Violence
Timeline for Launch
eNOugh Campaign
System Dialogue
Electronic Monitoring
2014
High Risk Team
Focused Deterrence
Lethality Assessments
May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Domestic Violence
Awareness Month
Press
Conference