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Internet-Based System Eases Court Preparation for Domestic Violence Victims
By Richard Zorza, Vice President, and
Joyce Klemperer, Project Director
Fund for the City of New York
The Domestic Violence Court Preparation System was developed by the Gateways to Access, Equity and Justice Project of the Fund for the City of New York as a model for using the Internet to solve real-life problems.
The system was developed in partnership with domestic violence advocates, legal services programs and courts in several states, and was funded by the State Justice Institute, the New York State Violence Against Women Act STOP grant pool, and the Open Society Institute. Tested and used by domestic violence programs in Georgia and New York, it is now available to programs in New York that provide domestic violence counseling, advocacy and safety planning.
How the System Works
The system uses Internet technology to assist domestic violence victims seeking, or considering whether to seek, an order of protection. Users require a computer in a secure and supportive location to access the software. The screens the user sees are easy to use, and take the petitioner through a series of questions which check eligibility for a civil protective order.
In each case the screen gives a list of possible options; if the user checks any of them, she is passed on to the next step in the program. If the victim does not qualify for a civil protective order, the software automatically offers information on alternatives such as initiating a criminal prosecution. | |
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