Connecticut General Statutes 46b-38j – Family Violence Model Policy Governing Council. Membership. Duties. Annual report
(a) There is established a Domestic Violence Criminal Justice Response and Enhancement Advisory Council for the purpose of evaluating and advising on the following matters, including, but not limited to: (1) Policies and procedures used by law enforcement agencies when responding to incidents of family violence, including reviewing and updating the model law enforcement policy on family violence for the state established in section 46b-38b, (2) the accuracy of data collected by the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection under section 46b-38d, and the Court Support Services Division under section 46b-38f, and collecting and analyzing any additional data related to domestic violence and the criminal justice response available from Judicial Branch court operations, state’s attorneys, public defenders, domestic violence advocates, or domestic violence offender programs; (3) the domestic violence offender program standards established in section 46b-38m, including reviewing and updating such standards as needed; (4) the pretrial family violence education program established in section 46b-38c, including eligibility criteria for such program; (5) dedicated domestic violence dockets established in section 51-181e, including state-wide expansion of such dockets; (6) the use of electronic monitoring as provided in section 46b-38c; (7) risk assessments used throughout a family violence case from arrest through adjudication; (8) arrest, prosecution, penalties and monitoring for violations of family violence restraining orders issued pursuant to section 46b-15 or criminal protective orders issued pursuant to section 46b-38c, 54-1k or 54-82r issued in family violence cases; (9) processing and execution of arrest warrants for incidents of family violence; (10) monitoring compliance, enforcement and victim notification of firearm seizure and surrender in family violence cases; (11) programming offered to individuals convicted of a family violence crime and currently incarcerated with the Department of Correction; and (12) training and education for criminal justice stakeholders including, but not limited to, training established pursuant to sections 46b-38b, 46b-38c and 46b-38i.
Terms Used In Connecticut General Statutes 46b-38j
- Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
- domestic violence: means : (1) A continuous threat of present physical pain or physical injury against a family or household member, as defined in section 46b-38a. See Connecticut General Statutes 46b-1
- Majority leader: see Floor Leaders
- Minority leader: See Floor Leaders
- President pro tempore: A constitutionally recognized officer of the Senate who presides over the chamber in the absence of the Vice President. The President Pro Tempore (or, "president for a time") is elected by the Senate and is, by custom, the Senator of the majority party with the longest record of continuous service.
- Public defender: Represent defendants who can't afford an attorney in criminal matters.
- Victim advocate: work with prosecutors and assist the victims of a crime.
(b) The council shall consist of the following members:
(1) One appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives;
(2) One appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate;
(3) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives, who shall be a municipal police officer with experience in domestic violence training;
(4) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, who shall be a representative of a community-based organization that provides group counseling or treatment to persons who have committed acts of domestic violence;
(5) One appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives;
(6) One appointed by the minority leader of the Senate;
(7) One appointed by the Governor;
(8) The chairperson of the Police Officer Standards and Training Council, or the chairperson’s designee;
(9) The Chief State’s Attorney, or the Chief State’s Attorney’s designee;
(10) The Chief Public Defender, or the Chief Public Defender’s designee;
(11) The Victim Advocate, or the Victim Advocate’s designee;
(12) Two appointed by the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection, one of whom shall be a representative of the Division of State Police with experience in domestic violence training and one of whom shall be commanding officer in the Division of State Police;
(13) Four appointed by the Chief Court Administrator, one of whom shall be a judge of the Superior Court assigned to hear criminal matters, one of whom shall be a family relations counselor or supervisor within the Court Support Services Division of the Judicial Branch, one of whom shall be an administrator within the Court Support Services Division of the Judicial Branch and one of whom shall be an administrator of the Office of Victim Services within the Judicial Branch;
(14) Four appointed by the chief executive officer of the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Inc., one of whom shall be a victim of domestic violence, one of whom shall be a victim advocate with courtroom experience in domestic violence matters, one of whom shall be an executive director of a community-based organization that provides direct services to persons impacted by domestic violence and one of whom shall be a representative of the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Inc.;
(15) One representative of the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association, appointed by the president of the association;
(16) The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, or the secretary’s designee;
(17) The chairperson of the Board of Pardons and Paroles, or the chairperson’s designee;
(18) The Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection, or the commissioner’s designee; and
(19) The Commissioner of Correction, or the commissioner’s designee.
(c) Any member of the council appointed under subdivision (1), (2), (5) or (6) of subsection (b) of this section may be a member of the General Assembly.
(d) All members of said council shall be appointed on or before July 1, 2012, and quadrennially thereafter, to serve for a term of four years. Any member may be reappointed, and any member may continue to serve until such member’s successor is appointed and qualified. Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority.
(e) The members of the council shall select two chairpersons of the council from among the members of the council. Said chairpersons shall be responsible for scheduling the meetings of the council.
(f) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the judiciary shall serve as administrative staff of the council.
(g) Not later than January 15, 2013, and annually thereafter, the council shall submit a report in accordance with section 11-4a to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the judiciary and public safety. The report shall include any recommendations for statutory or policy changes within the purview of the council, including any recommended updates or amendments to the model law enforcement policy on family violence for the state, established in section 46b-38b, or the domestic violence offender program standards, established in section 46b-38m.