MISSOULA — A court program in Missoula is attempting to address the issue of domestic violence.
The Montana Board of Crime Control dashboard shows that so far in 2023, Missoula County has seen 399 cases of domestic violence while 266 cases are reported in Flathead County and 109 in Ravalli County. The numbers include crimes ranging from murder, assault, kidnapping or sex offenses with some rising to the level of a felony.
But what if an abuser could get help before they reach that level? That’s where the Missoula County Domestic Violence Treatment Court comes in. Thanks to some new grants, it’s another piece of the puzzle to keep people safe when the crime is complicated.
“There’s no ankle monitor for do you think it’s okay to hit your wife,” observed Missoula Judge Alex Beal.
Red cutouts representing victims of domestic violence can be seen around the Missoula County Courthouse, serving as a reminder of a problem that’s difficult to fix.
“That’s part of why it requires more of an intensive process,” Beal said. That’s why he created a more intensive and hands-on approach when he sees those charged with misdemeanor domestic violence crimes in his courtroom.
Beal says it’s all about support and accountability, “The idea of these courts is that the judge can maintain more of an impact, more of a role in people’s lives — even after whatever the initial sentence is to help those outcomes.
The journey through the court system is also faster.
“We’ve cut the average duration between when a person is arrested and when the case is resolved by half,” Beal told MTN News. “And anecdotally — at least what the folks in the Crime Victim’s Advocates Office say — it’s made a meaningful difference in lives of survivors of domestic violence. And what I actually hear from the defendants is they prefer it.”
That’s one part of the process. The second comes from Montana Probation and Parole, where work is underway on a brand new program coordinating all available services to help victims and abusers — essentially connecting the dots with available services and programs to surround an abuser with the support to stop.
“We’re trying to create that collaboration in the community and have different entities come in and provide some kind of intervention, “explained Montana Department of Corrections Victim Liason Sheree TalksAbout. “So, it’s important for us to try that rehabilitation piece. But it’s hard to do that rehabilitation piece without other services involved. So we want that multidisciplinary team.”
Probation and Parole officers assigned to domestic violence are also now able to help someone on probation get the support they need to change. They get more time with them and help intervene when they struggle.
“We’re assessing issues that play into what’s going on in their world and get them hooked up with additional resources that can fix some of those problems,” said Domestic Violence Specialist Cody Finley.
“But throughout the Department of Corrections as a whole, there are other resources to address the other issues that they have as well and try to look at the entire puzzle, fill in those pieces that they’re missing to help them be successful,” Finley continued.
“Just about everybody seems to be very excited to combat this on a united front,” TalksAbout noted. “That’s one of the big key factors is collaboration. “
“If we can find a person in the criminal justice system before something awful has happened — before something tragic and fatal has happened — then there’s an opportunity,” Beal said. “So, the goal is always, if we can help one person, and create one fewer victim, then that’s a success. “
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