Another specialized court that exist in many jurisdictions include domestic violence courts.

These courts concentrate on the safety of the victim, the prosecution of abusers, and the rehabilitation of those convicted of DV related crimes. They can be very effective.

Watch the video in the following link and read about this hearing. http://www.wftv.com/news/local/video-shows-judge-b…

If you can’t see the video in the above link, watch it here: Florida judge berates domestic abuse victim, sentences sobbing woman to jail (Links to an external site.)

Some things to consider and write about:

Why might a domestic violence victim not want to show up for court, even if she is being abused and going to court to testify would protect her life? What can prosecutors do to help encourage victims to come to court? What happens when a victim isn’t available to testify? Do you agree with what the judge did in this case? Why or why not?

How do domestic violence courts help to reduce recidivism?