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Thirty new Specialist Domestic Violence Court systems created
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The Government has announced the creation of thirty new Specialist Domestic Violence Court (SDVCs) systems across England and Wales. This brings the total number of SDVCs in the national programme to 98.
The SDVCs feature careful measures to ensure the safety of victims of domestic violence such as separate entrances, exits and waiting areas so that they dont come into contact with their attackers and cases clustered on a particular day or fast-tracked through the system.
The Courts also have specially trained magistrates in dealing with domestic violence and victims receive tailored support and advice from Independent Domestic Violence Advisors.
A review published on 8 March of the first 23 SDVC systems, conducted jointly by the Crown Prosecution Service, the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice, found ten achieved a successful prosecution rate of over 70 per cent, with one reaching over 80 per cent and the remaining 12 achieving an average rate of 66 per cent.
Further information on Specialist Domestic Violence Courts can be found at: www.crimereduction.homeoffice.gov.uk/domesticviolence/domesticviolence59.htm.
