Leone Recognized for Domestic Violence Prevention

Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone was honored recently as the recipient of the first ever Transition House Open Door Award for his dedication to domestic violence prevention efforts.

Transition House, Inc. held their annual meeting at the Anthenaeum House in Cambridge. Community leaders and members of the public were in attendance as they gave DA Leone the award and celebrated the shelter’s 35th anniversary. Transition House also launched their new Green Door Campaign, an effort to raise funds to turn their Emergency Shelter into an energy efficient facility.

Transition House is Cambridge ’s domestic violence agency, providing emergency shelter, transitional and supported housing and youth prevention education to our community since 1975. Transition House created the first emergency shelter on the East Coast for women and children escaping domestic violence. The organization has been an important community resource ever since.

“I am humbled to be recognized by such a fine organization and close community partner,” Middlesex District Attorney Leone said. “Domestic violence is one of the most significant public safety and public health issues that we face, and it’s a growing problem. As the problem intensifies, so does the need for services. With community partners like the Transition House, we continue to work together to provide sustainability and to break down the barriers against disclosure that exist in domestic violence incidents.”

Since taking office in 2007, District Attorney Leone has announced a number of domestic violence initiatives, including a pro-bono representation initiative for victims of domestic violence in partnership with several area law firms. The office has also launched a comprehensive effort to train and better coordinate with local police departments – helping them to better identify and investigate cases of domestic violence. In addition to on-site trainings, members of the Middlesex DA’s Domestic Violence Unit provide police departments with:

– Roll call training video
– Risk Factor cards to help better identify high risk instances of domestic violence
– Dispatcher checklists and trainings to help better respond to DV victim calls

The DA’s office has also designated specific Domestic Violence Assistant District Attorneys in each district court who are trained and focused on the prosecution of those crimes. Each local police department has also committed to establishing a DV point of contact to serve as a liaison to the DV Unit.

Leone has also established a Domestic Violence Board in which each region in Middlesex County is represented by a police officer and a victim service provider. The purpose of the board is to ensure that the District Attorney’s Office is addressing the needs of domestic violence victims consistently and appropriately for the particular area of the county in which they reside. This is in addition to the establishment of further regional Domestic Violence Roundtables that work to bring together community partners who serve victims of domestic violence. The office now sponsors seven Domestic Violence Roundtables across Middlesex County .

Lastly, Leone’s office has also partnered with organizations to form community-based DV rapid response programs in order to better assist victims in situations that have a high-risk of lethality.

These programs are part of Leone’s continuing commitment to preventing, investigating, and prosecuting cases of domestic violence. In September 2007, Leone created the office’s Domestic Violence Unit, consisting of a lead Assistant District Attorney, other designated prosecutors, and victim witness advocates.

– Information from Middlesex Country District Attorney’s office