California Attorney General Rob Bonta has announced the release of a new protocol designed to aid counties in establishing Domestic Violence Incident Review Teams. These teams are collaborative efforts involving law enforcement, social services agencies, survivor advocates, and community organizations. The aim is to improve prevention methods for domestic violence incidents.
"Honest and open discussions of how our responses to domestic violence can be improved, without blaming and shaming anyone, can save lives," said Attorney General Bonta. "Review Teams can be a wonderful space where disagreements are respectful and productive, which help stakeholders work together to break down silos. My office is always at the ready in the fight to prevent domestic violence."
The initiative stems from a 1995 California state law that authorized counties to establish domestic violence death review teams. These teams are tasked with identifying and reviewing domestic violence deaths, facilitating interagency communications, and developing recommendations for prevention and intervention policies. In 2022, legislation was amended to include the review of near-death incidents and directed the Office of the Attorney General to develop this protocol.
The new protocol suggests that Review Teams set guiding principles and encourage productive disagreement—a key element identified by experts as crucial for success. It outlines steps for setting up a team, including funding, structure, membership details, confidentiality laws, ethical rules binding both the team as a whole and its individual members. Additionally, it highlights considerations necessary when working with marginalized populations and provides steps for conducting detailed case reviews along with crafting recommendations.
For further information on domestic violence resources, individuals are encouraged to visit the Victims’ Services Unit website or call their hotline.