Massachusetts Vertical Prosecution Unit Increases Victim Safety and Participation in Cases

The Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office receives a STOP subgrant to support a bilingual domestic violence prosecutor and a bilingual advocate to maintain a vertical prosecution team assigned to Brockton District Court.  The team has found that use of the vertical prosecution approach has increased the number of survivors who participate in a criminal case against their abuser from start to finish, thus increasing the chances that an abuser will be held accountable by the criminal justice system.  In 2008, the team provided services to 499 survivors of domestic violence and fifteen stalking survivors. 

The team follows each case from the time a defendant is arraigned through its conclusion.  It works closely with survivors, and serves as the primary contact throughout the case.  Prior to implementation of the vertical prosecution model, a survivor might have seen three different prosecutors and advocates, and would have to tell her story each time a new team received the case file.  

Because the Brockton area has recently seen an increase in the number of residents who have emigrated from Cape Verde and Haiti, the team speaks Portuguese or Creole with immigrant survivors who have limited English proficiency.  

The team provides all victims with criminal justice advocacy and court accompaniment, as well as referrals to community-based agencies to help with other needs, such as safety planning, food, housing, or immigration issues.  The team first contacts a service provider to facilitate the process and avoid the survivor having to make cold calls and re-explain her story.  The advocate helps to make appointments in order to facilitate the process.  If a survivor is working with an agency to apply for a U-Visa, the unit provides the documentation that is required to demonstrate that she has assisted with the investigation or prosecution of a criminal case against her abuser. 

When a survivor expresses interest in obtaining a civil protection order, a community-based victim service program advocate assists with the petition and the prosecutor stands with the survivor during the hearing.  In 2008, the team assisted sixty-three survivors in requesting and obtaining a temporary order of protection, and eighteen with final orders of protection. 

When attrition does occur, the team explains to the victim that they are not upset with her for declining to participate in the criminal case, and that they want her to call them if there is a subsequent incident of abuse.  A number of survivors who initially declined to participate in a case have later contacted the unit to report a new incident. 

The team also participates in efforts to improve coordination and communication among community members who serve survivors.  One way that they do this is by participating in the Brockton Area Multi-disciplinary Community Roundtable, a collaborative group with membership from law enforcement, prosecution, advocacy agencies, schools, health care, interfaith agencies, and other service providers in the jurisdiction.  The team says that participation in the roundtable’s quarterly meetings roundtable has made it easier to locate the correct person in the community to handle a particular issue or survivor question when it arises.