The door to open government just closed a few inches with an "emergency" measure signed earlier this month by Governor Duval Patrick (so it went into effect immediately) forbidding police departments from releasing the names of perps arrested for domestic violence.
Apparently proponents of the measure feel victims are less likely to report acts of domestic abuse, fearing the local paper will publish their address, thereby identifying them.
But most (good) newspapers have policies in place to protect underage victims or those impacted by sensitive issues such as sexual abuse, suicide, or domestic violence.
In the interests of protecting the victims of this sordid scourge that strikes 25% of American women, this broad stroke measure will also serve to protect the perps.
Last Fiscal Year APD arrested 59 individuals for domestic Assault & Battery.
14 comments:
Yes, but Larry your own article recently about the Gazette reporter who was laid off suggests that more bloggers and fewer credentialed reporters will be responsible for the "news" in years to come, rendering those policies ineffective over all.
Something to think about
Actually I am a credentialed reporter.
And this makes it harder for me to report ... Right now.
Larry, did it ever occur to you that a lot of these arrests are bogus bullshit and thrown out?
What office do those men go to get their reputations back?
Your real issue is with the CORI law and not being able to get CONVICTIONS which are, like, um, an indication that he actually did it.
Just sayin...
I don't know; Massachusetts' mandatory arrest requirement makes me think that it might be more fair only to release names if an indictment is obtained. I have no sympathy for abusers of any stripe, but I do believe that kind of public record can haunt someone, even if they are later determined to be blameless. Corrections and retractions never seem to get the same publicity as the original arrest report, and even people who are aware of the updated information can unfairly harbor lingering suspicions.
I realize that this was not why they implemented this policy, but I think it's a positive, if unintended, consequence.
Never seemed to stop you before. Hell, you'd slander anybody for your own gain. That's why there are so many anons here.
Since you only gave a number representing females, let's not forget that upwards of 40% of domestic abuse if female and male.
Yeah, because we all know how many times I've been sued for libel/defamation over the past seven years (despite a hundred or more threats).
"Larry, did it ever occur to you that a lot of these arrests are bogus bullshit and thrown out?"
Current statistics show 95% of these arrests are false accusations mostly by females on males.
All a women needs to do is go into any court house basement in the state, sign a piece of paper claiming she is scared, no judge needed, and she gets her wish to get her husband out of the house.
"Anonymous said...
Since you only gave a number representing females, let's not forget that upwards of 40% of domestic abuse if female and male."
_______
I believe you meant to say that upwards of 40% of domestic abuse is female on male which would be more accurate.
1:50pm
Wally, is that what happened to you?
SO much fail here....this measure (to keep all you "reporters" in the dark because there is SOOO much to hide) may actually assist the true victims. I can certainly tell you that 95% of these cases are far, and I'm talking miles, from fiction. Some certainly are, some are not. Convictions require the victim testifying against their batterer. That, in and of itself, is no easy task. Just imagine the complications? Testifying in a court proceeding against a person who you either still love or may have loved. Maybe the mother/father of your children (who won't really understand unless they are old enough). EVEN if convicted there certainly will be no jail time, this is MA. Think people. Think.
I seem to remember the small convenience stores in Amherst like Jane Alden's and that little one halfway down main st (Augie's?) displaying bounced checks written by customers on their registers for all to see. Although unsure of the purpose of this other than to shame the offender, to avoid future bad checks or to get them to rectify the matter quickly; I'm certain it was a good deterrent. There's obviously a big difference between domestic abuse and insufficient funds, but I can see how this piece of......legislation makes it less of a consequence for abusers. Agree with Walker that name release should occur after conviction.
Then most names would never be released.
Convictions rarely happen, and they would take up to a year if/when they did.
I've now watched dozens of DUI cases get adjudicated whereby the perp takes a "standard 24D disposition," which means stay clean for a year, go to alcohol training, and pay hefty fines.
But those are not convictions.
Same thing with all the party house arrests. All of them are "converted" from criminal to civil, and the kids pay fines and are put on probation.
But again, those are not convictions.
To clarify, I wrote that it should be delayed until charges are actually filed, not a conviction obtained. I think it meets my standards for a middle ground that would serve all parties better.
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