RECOMMENDATIONS 8 FACES OF FATALITY / JUNE 2017 www.fcadv.org Law enforcement agencies should include the Florida Domestic Violence Hotline and information regarding certified domestic violence centers in the victim rights information distributed to all adult and juvenile victims of crime, particularly criminal mischief, property damage, trespassing or other lesser crimes to ensure domestic violence survivors who are victims of these crimes receive information regarding the availability of life saving domestic violence services. FCADV should partner with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida Sheriffs Association and Florida Police Chiefs Association to create a card that contains the Florida Domestic Violence Hotline phone number and other relevant information that can be included with the general victim rights brochure for distribution on-scene by law enforcement. The inclusion of this information will help increase access to domestic violence resources for domestic violence survivors. The homicides reviewed by the Statewide Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team during the past two years have included charges against the perpetrators for criminal mischief, property damage or trespassing against the victim prior to the homicide. It is not uncommon for perpetrators of domestic violence to commit crimes against survivors that do not meet the criteria for an arrest or report under Florida’s domestic violence statute section 741.29, F.S. This statute includes a provision requring law enforcement to provide victims of domestic violence a rights and remedies brochure that includes information about the certified domestic violence center in their area and their legal rights. Perpetrators of domestic violence often commit crimes of criminal mischief, trespassing and property damage as a tactic to maintain control over their current or former partners. Florida statute section 960.001 requires that law enforcement officers provide information to all crime victims on scene regarding crisis intervention services, supportive or bereavement counseling, social service support referrals, and community-based victim treatment programs available to adult and juvenile victims. Section 960.001, F.S. does not require that all crime victims receive information specific to domestic violence that could link them to certified domestic violence centers.6 The information provided to all victims of crime, particularly victims of property crime, trespassing and criminal mischief, should also include the Florida Domestic Violence Hotline and certified domestic violence center information. FCADV, certified domestic violence centers, and other stakeholders including law enforcement and community based programs should develop and distribute informational materials and/or conduct community outreach activities related to the dynamics and tactics of domestic violence, intervention strategies and available resources for staff and residents representing the 55 and older population. In this year’s data, the maximum age of decedents was 70 and maximum age of perpetrators was 78. There are 317 residential communities for people age 55 and
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