District Attorney Mike Schmidt announced today that the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office (MCDA) is launching a new domestic violence survivor-centered diversion program. The objective is to provide community-based services in lieu of traditional prosecution for criminalized survivors to address underlying trauma. The program is being modeled after a similar program between the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and the YWCA of Seattle King County.
The Association of Prosecuting Attorneys (APA) selected MCDA last year as one of two sites to receive technical assistance in establishing the diversion program – in partnership with Bradley Angle – for criminalized survivors of gender-based violence.
DA Mike Schmidt said: “Addressing domestic violence is a top priority for me and my office, and we are pleased with the collaboration and support we’ve received as we move from the planning phase to implementation. The guidance from APA and King County will be invaluable in adopting best practices into our local program.”
Bri Condon, Executive Director of Bradley Angle, said: “It is critical for long-standing social service agencies such as ours to use our grassroots power to block further injustices from occurring. A common tactic by abusers is to use the criminal legal system against those they have harmed. With this partner project we are dedicated to blocking that tactic and moving survivors of domestic violence – particularly BIPOC survivors – to safety from the inside.”
David LaBahn, President of the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, said: “APA is extremely pleased to support the development of a survivor-centered diversion program in Multnomah County. The dedication of the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office and Bradley Angle has been impressive. We will take the lessons learned from this pilot program and provide information nationally so that jurisdictions across the country can also provide alternative pathways to address trauma and provide support by connecting survivors with culturally relevant community providers and services.”
Funded by the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, the APA has partnered with Bowie State University to work with MCDA to collect data and measure program outcomes.
Source: Multnomah County District Attorney's Office