Item 1 – Received a report from the Domestic Violence Coordinating Group updating the Commission on the status of domestic violence in Tallahassee and Leon County during the period 1997 through 2000
Ms. Joanne Snair, of the Domestic Violence Coordinating Group, appeared before the Commission and presented the report.
Ms. Maureen O’Neil, Chair of the Domestic Violence Coordinating Group and representative of The Refuge House, also appeared before the Commission relative to this item.
The Commission discussed 1) the need for improved communication with the Court Administrator’s Office and the need to increase participation in the New Hope Batterers Intervention Program; 2) the importance of keeping statistics on the different cases such as cases where there unemployment, education level, or drug use were factors, as well as some data on demographics of those assigned to alternative programs; and 3) suggested looking at other locales that were attempting different solutions, such as hiring volunteer bodyguards or taking some psychological approaches.
Notice how the firearms training suggestion was "convieniently" left OUT of the reported minutes...