Response to domestic violence in N.M. faulty, report says
Critical review offers suggestions for lawmakers to address shortcomings
Perpetrators of domestic violence aren’t held accountable and services for victims in New Mexico are inconsistent, according to a report released Tuesday that also found programs to prevent domestic violence are limited and there is a lack of coordination among agencies involved in combating the problem.
The critical overview of the state’s response to domestic violence was put together by evaluators for the Legislative Finance Committee and presented to the committee Tuesday.
The Children, Youth and Families Department, which doles out state funds for domestic violence programs, is to submit a plan to address the shortcomings within the next month. The department said in a response to the report that it cooperated with the committee during the evaluation process and is in agreement with several recommendations.
“There is no easy fix to this issue, but we are confident that this report supports efforts that were already in development,” Community Services Bureau Chief Emily Martin told the committee. “However, CYFD cannot make systematic changes in a silo.”
Nearly 25 percent of New Mexicans have experienced domestic violence at some point in their lives, the report said. The legal definition of that term includes physical harm, emotional dis-
tress, threats, harassment, property damage and trespassing.
Many perpetrators get off the hook.
More than 48,000 people were arrested on suspicion of domestic violence between 2008 and 2015, the report said. In New Mexico, about 35 percent of those accused of domestic violence are convicted, it said, and most are courtordered to complete a “batterer intervention program.” Only half of those who start the program, however, successfully finish it.
One contributing factor, evaluators said, is that misdemeanor domestic violence offenders are not required to be monitored to ensure they’re meeting probation requirements.
For domestic violence victims, adequate availability of shelters and counseling is critical, but post-shelter planning is inconsistent, the report said.
Pam Wiseman, director of the New Mexico Coalition Against Domestic Violence, said evidence is mixed on whether using intervention programs to rehabilitate offenders is successful. Overall, she said, the report was fair and accurate.
“In my view, it captured kind of the essence of the problems that domestic violence causes here in New Mexico,” Wiseman said. “Treating an individual person or giving them shelter, that’s not enough. You have to deal with the cultural aspects. This is much broader than the set of programs.”
One of the findings with which Wiseman agreed was that children should be a bigger focus for organizations working to address domestic violence.
The report estimated that children are present in roughly one-third of all domestic violence instances but only receive one counseling session on average for every nine for adults.
Among the recommendations for the Children, Youth and Families Department was a call to increase coordination with Child Protective Services to create a plan for keeping victims safe after they leave shelters and to ensure that services provided for children, and their parents, have been proven effective.
“If counseling can reduce the risk of trauma-related mental health problems, then these services should be provided to every child,” the report said. “While parent well-being is essential to child well-being, this does not preclude child need for services.”
Sen. John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, commended the work of domestic violence programs but expressed frustration at the daunting task of addressing the pervasive issue.
“I appreciate the report that’s being given to me because it opens my eyes somewhat, but it also makes me want to ask more questions on how to fix this,” he said. “I just don’t know.”
One of the recommendations in the report was that the Legislature authorize a pilot program to test local approaches to domestic violence.
The plan would allow the Children, Youth and Families Department and the New Mexico Coalition Against Domestic Violence to pick a place to establish a “coordinated community response” among health care providers, domestic violence programs, law enforcement, courts and attorneys.
“We don’t have enough evidence or confidence to recommend a statewide solution at this point,” said Charles Sallee, deputy director of program evaluation for the Legislative Finance Committee. “It will take focused leadership, frankly, at multiple levels in order to start addressing this over time.”