QUOTE
12/26/2007 12:28:00 PM
Arnold Bill For Cooling Off Moving On
Legislation Has Been Assigned To Senate Judiciary Committee.
Associated Press
INDIANAPOLIS - People accused of abuse in domestic violence cases would have to spend at least eight hours in jail to "cool off" under a bill sponsored by an Indiana lawmaker.
Sen. Jim Arnold, D-La Porte, said his bill would give victims the time to find help or go to shelters while their alleged abusers are settling down in jail, rather seeking retribution.
"We're calling it a cooling off period," said Arnold, a former two-term sheriff. "Right now, we have too many officers going back to these situations on a repetitive basis. So we're trying to look at this in a little different light."
Arnold introduced his legislation after meeting with the LaPorte County Domestic Violence Task Force, whose members were concerned that accused abusers were leaving jail too quickly.
His bill has been assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Jean Russell, vice president of programs at the Center for Women and Families, which serves southern Indiana and Louisville, Ky., called the Indiana proposal encouraging. She said Kentucky does not mandate a cooling off period.
"It's a beginning first step that is helpful," she said.
"But it's not necessarily by itself going to be the solution."
Although there's no statewide requirement for a cooling off period for accused batterers, some Indiana judges already impose similar restrictions.
In Harrison County, for example, accused batterers face a court-ordered 24-hour hold, said Corydon Police Chief Jim Kendall.
"It works great," Kendall said. "It gives the batterer time to calm down ... and it lets us get the victim to a safe house."
In Clark County, judges have a standing order that someone arrested on a domestic violence charge isn't released until he or she sees a judge, Sheriff Danny Rodden said. That typically takes 24 to 72 hours, he said.
"Everybody has cooled down a little bit by then," Rodden said.
In some parts of Indiana, however, alleged batterers can get out of jail on bond or be released without bail soon after they are charged.
"There's county-by-county discretion," said Barb Miller, executive director of the Albion Fellows Bacon Center, an Evansville-based organization that serves domestic violence victims in 11 counties, including Orange, Crawford and Harrison.
"You can be arrested and be bonded out in a manner of a couple hours" in Vanderburgh County, Miller said.
She said that's often not enough time for victims to be able to locate help, pack their belongings and get their children to a safe location. She added that "time is so critical" for victims.
Arnold Bill For Cooling Off Moving On
Legislation Has Been Assigned To Senate Judiciary Committee.
Associated Press
INDIANAPOLIS - People accused of abuse in domestic violence cases would have to spend at least eight hours in jail to "cool off" under a bill sponsored by an Indiana lawmaker.
Sen. Jim Arnold, D-La Porte, said his bill would give victims the time to find help or go to shelters while their alleged abusers are settling down in jail, rather seeking retribution.
"We're calling it a cooling off period," said Arnold, a former two-term sheriff. "Right now, we have too many officers going back to these situations on a repetitive basis. So we're trying to look at this in a little different light."
Arnold introduced his legislation after meeting with the LaPorte County Domestic Violence Task Force, whose members were concerned that accused abusers were leaving jail too quickly.
His bill has been assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Jean Russell, vice president of programs at the Center for Women and Families, which serves southern Indiana and Louisville, Ky., called the Indiana proposal encouraging. She said Kentucky does not mandate a cooling off period.
"It's a beginning first step that is helpful," she said.
"But it's not necessarily by itself going to be the solution."
Although there's no statewide requirement for a cooling off period for accused batterers, some Indiana judges already impose similar restrictions.
In Harrison County, for example, accused batterers face a court-ordered 24-hour hold, said Corydon Police Chief Jim Kendall.
"It works great," Kendall said. "It gives the batterer time to calm down ... and it lets us get the victim to a safe house."
In Clark County, judges have a standing order that someone arrested on a domestic violence charge isn't released until he or she sees a judge, Sheriff Danny Rodden said. That typically takes 24 to 72 hours, he said.
"Everybody has cooled down a little bit by then," Rodden said.
In some parts of Indiana, however, alleged batterers can get out of jail on bond or be released without bail soon after they are charged.
"There's county-by-county discretion," said Barb Miller, executive director of the Albion Fellows Bacon Center, an Evansville-based organization that serves domestic violence victims in 11 counties, including Orange, Crawford and Harrison.
"You can be arrested and be bonded out in a manner of a couple hours" in Vanderburgh County, Miller said.
She said that's often not enough time for victims to be able to locate help, pack their belongings and get their children to a safe location. She added that "time is so critical" for victims.