Posted on Sun, Aug. 03, 2008
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ROBERT T. STEPHAN: PREVENT FUTURE FATALITIES FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
BY ROBERT T. STEPHAN
Kansans were shocked to learn of the tragic murder of Jana Mackey on July 3. Mackey, 25, was a second-year law student at the University of Kansas who grew up in Hays. She was found dead in the home of her ex-boyfriend, Adolfo Garcia-Nunez, who was eventually apprehended in New Jersey and committed suicide while in custody.
Citizens must be outraged not only by this homicide but all the domestic violence homicides that occur in our state. The Governor's Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board will expedite the review of the case.
In October 2004, through executive order, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius created the board to review all adult fatalities related to domestic violence in the state and recommend improvements to prevent future fatalities.
There are no words to ease the pain or help the family and friends of Jana -- or other family members who lose their loved ones to domestic violence -- understand their tragic loss. We must find a way in which future domestic violence crimes can be stopped.
Jana's case involves the recent release from parole supervision of the alleged offender. Policies and guidelines should be considered to ensure proper and intensive supervision of parolees, particularly where there is a history of domestic violence.
Inmates, prior to release from a correctional facility, also should be screened and assessed for interpersonal violence tendencies, and comprehensive supervision and participation in batterer intervention programs should be recommended. The board has made similar recommendations in its reports.
One of the goals of the board is to identify systemic changes within the organizations and agencies that work with domestic violence victims, offenders and families, to learn new ways of reducing the number of fatalities by better identification of risk factors and improvement in the coordination of services that our state provides.
This process includes identifying high-risk factors, current practices, gaps in systemic responses and barriers to safety in domestic violence situations. About 15 to 20 percent of all homicides in Kansas are the result of domestic violence.
If you are a victim of domestic violence or know someone who is, you can call 1-888-END ABUSE (1-888-363-2287) to find resources for help.
Robert T. Stephan, who lives in Lenexa, is a former Kansas attorney general and the chairman of the Governor's Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board.
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