Governor Granholm appoints five new members to the MDVPTB.

Governor Granholm has appointed the following five people to MDVPTB positions.

The new board members are:

The Honorable Amy Krause of Lansing. Judge Krause serves in the 54-A District Court of Lansing. Krause also has been designated as chairperson of the MDVPTB.
Gwendolyn Brown of Detroit. Lt. Brown is a commanding officer in the Detroit Police Department domestic violence unit.
Marie Donigan of Royal Oak. Ms. Donigan is a Royal Oak city commissioner and landscape architect for the City of Farmington Hills Department of Planning and Community Development.
Mary Beth Kur of Charlevoix. Ms. Kur is the Prosecuting Attorney of Charlevoix County.
Lore Rogers of Whitmore Lake. Ms. Rogers is the former legal advocacy director for the Domestic Violence Project, Inc./Safe House in Ann Arbor.

Click here for more information about the MDVPTB.

Michigan receives $899,783 federal grant to focus services in rural communities.

Governor Granholm has announced that Michigan has received a grant from the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice in the amount of $899,783. MDVPTB will distribute the funding to 10 programs in 13 counties designated 100% rural by the 2000 Census. The counties are Alger, Antrim, Arenac, Baraga, Benzie, Keweenaw, Lake, Missaukee, Montmorency, Oceana, Ogemaw, Ontonagon, and Oscoda.

The grant will allow domestic violence programs to maintain continuity of service to victims in rural areas, raise public awareness and provide community education.

Funding will also provide for training and technical assistance from the Michigan Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Michigan Tribal Victim Advocate Coalition. The training will focus on services to underserved populations.

Additionally, three local domestic violence agencies will pilot programs in Antrim, Arenac and Benzie counties addressing the intersection of domestic violence and child welfare. The agencies are the Women’s Resource Center of Grand Traverse in Traverse City, the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan in Petoskey and the Bay Area Women’s Center in Bay City. These pilot sites may use funding to cross-train domestic violence advocates and child protection workers, as well as increase local coordination between the two offices.

Safety and accountability audit teams complete assessments at Safe Havens sites.

Safety and accountability audit teams for the Michigan Safe Havens project successfully completed their assessments in October 2003 with visits to each of the four pilot supervised visitation centers and their local communities. The safety and accountability audits included interviews and focus groups with staff from the local courts, custodial and non-custodial parents, men involved with batterer intervention programs, peers and others. The teams also reviewed documentation from the four supervised visitation centers participating in the pilot project.

The safety and accountability audit teams and other national experts met in February 2004 with staff from the pilot supervised visitation centers to discuss the organizations’ missions and review and analyze the information collected during October’s assessments. Using this combination of data and discussion, the group began the development of guiding principles for achieving effective supervised visitation and safe exchanges in domestic violence cases. These guiding principles will enable the pilot sites to better tailor services to meet clients’ needs. This pilot work is expected to evolve into promising practices for all Michigan supervised visitation centers dealing with cases involving domestic violence.

The Michigan safety and accountability audit team is comprised of staff from the four supervised visitation pilot sites, MDVPTB and individuals from the project’s national technical assistance providers, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges and PRAXIS.

Additionally, the safety and accountability audit teams presented their findings at a meeting of representatives from all of the nation’s Safe Havens demonstration projects, including San Mateo County, California; Chicago, Illinois; and Kent, Washington. Michigan is the only Safe Havens demonstration project working on a statewide level. The $1.1 million Supervised Visitation and Safe Exchange Demonstration Project from the Office on Violence Against Women is in its second year.

New trial manual for DV cases distributed to prosecutors.

The Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan (PAAM), with funding from the MDVPTB, has collaboratively developed a manual for prosecutors that will enhance their ability to successfully prosecute cases involving domestic violence. Every prosecutor’s office in the state received a free copy of The Domestic Violence Trial Manual in January 2004. Additionally, a copy will be given to each attendee at any of PAAM’s upcoming Investigation and Prosecution in Domestic Violence Cases seminars.

This exciting new resource is a user-friendly tool for prosecutors that can be applied right in the courtroom. It addresses common trial issues arising in domestic violence prosecutions, including procedural matters regarding pretrial motions, motions for other acts evidence under MRE 404(b), expert witness testimony, common evidentiary matters and sentencing issues. The manual is also a ready reference to relevant case law, statutes and procedural court rules.

Additional copies of the The Domestic Violence Trial Manual can be purchased from PAAM. The cost for prosecutors is $30.00, and for all others is $60.00. For more information, contact Herb Tanner at (517) 334-6060 ext. 829.

MCOLES updates its domestic violence manual.

The Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards has updated The Michigan Law Enforcement Response to Domestic Violence Officer Manual. It is being used as a textbook in 23 Michigan law enforcement training academies, as well as other statewide police trainings. Click here to view the updated Web version of the manual.

PAAM offers its Violence Against Women newsletter.

The Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan has reinstated the periodic circulation of its Violence Against Women Newsletter. The newsletter focuses on issues of domestic violence and sexual assault statewide, nationally and internationally. MDVPTB funds the publication.

The newsletter is available in both print and electronic formats. If you are interested in receiving the newsletter electronically, please e-mail Herb Tanner at tannerh2@michigan.gov and write "subscription to VAWA newsletter" in the subject line. To subscribe to the printed version, e-mail Tanner and request that your name be placed on the mailing list.

March is National Women’s History Month.

This year’s National Women's History Month theme, "Women Inspiring Hope and Possibility" is very relevant in the context of domestic and sexual violence. Of the eight 2004 National Women's History Month Honorees, two in particular have spent much of their lives working against the forces of violence and oppression and their impact on women and children. Sarah Buel is an attorney as well as a domestic violence survivor and activist. She is also co-founder and co-director of the National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence. Marian Wright Edelman, also an attorney, is a children’s rights advocate, civil rights activist and founder of the Children’s Defense Fund.

Learn more about National Women's History Month and the eight honorees this year at National Women's National Women's History Project Web site: http://www.nwhp.org/.

Board Member Profile - The Honorable Amy Krause

The Honorable Amy Krause, recently appointed Chair of the Michigan Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Board, has been active in the domestic and sexual violence field for more than 15 years. She began her career in 1987 as a general practice and litigation attorney with the firm of Kemp, Klein, Endelman & Beer in Birmingham, Michigan. Her work in the domestic and sexual violence area began in 1989 as an Assistant Prosecutor in Livingston County, prosecuting criminal sexual conduct cases. While serving there she became the first to successfully prosecute a marital rape case in Michigan. She moved to the Washtenaw County Prosecutor's Office in 1993 as a First Assistant Prosecutor, responsible for coordinating the Sex Crimes Prosecution Unit.

"As an assistant prosecutor, Judge Krause handled the most difficult, emotionally wrenching cases with extraordinary skill, sensitivity and tenacity," said Brian Mackie, Washtenaw County Prosecutor.

In 1997, Judge Krause joined the Michigan Department of the Attorney General as an Assistant Attorney General. Nearly all of her six years in the Attorney General's office were spent in the Criminal Division. In March of 2003, Governor Granholm appointed her to the post of 54-A District Court Judge in Lansing.

"Amy is one of the hardest working people I've ever met," Granholm said. "She is smart as a whip and deeply committed to fair, equal justice. Amy's addition to the Lansing bench adds to the strength of the entire Michigan court system."

Throughout her career, the Honorable Amy Krause has trained on issues of domestic and sexual violence and related topics. She is an adjunct professor and has taught criminal law at the Detroit College of Law at Michigan State University. Judge Krause was an instructor for the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan (PAAM) for thirteen years, speaking on such topics as child abuse, sexual assault and family violence/homicide prevention. She was also faculty for the National College of District Attorneys beginning in 1991. Additionally, she has addressed the issue of domestic and sexual violence on countless panels throughout the state and appeared as a guest lecturer in many Michigan universities and law schools.

Judge Krause is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Michigan Department of Attorney General's Frank J. Kelley Award for Excellence in Trial Advocacy, PAAM's Distinguished Faculty Award, the Washtenaw Area Council for Children's Child Service Award, and the Law Enforcement Association of Washtenaw County's Community Service Award.

"I have worked with Judge Krause for many years on issues of domestic and sexual violence," said Debi Cain, MDVPTB executive director. "She is highly skilled, effective and committed. Michigan citizens are very fortunate to have a leader like her at the helm of the Michigan Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Board."

What's Ahead.

The 12 originally scheduled one-day trainings on Michigan law implementing the Full Faith & Credit provisions of the federal Violence Against Women Act concluded in November 2003. Continued interest throughout the state sparked the scheduling of six additional trainings to take place this year. Benton Harbor, Flint, Grayling, Macomb and Wayne Counties will host five of the added trainings. The sixth Full Faith & Credit training will be designed for tribal governments and members. This special session will present an opportunity for this important group to learn more about Full Faith & Credit, share tribal codes, discuss protection order enforcement as it relates to domestic violence issues and discuss other relevant matters of mutual concern.

The trainings are funded by $750,000 in federal Grants to Encourage Arrests (GTEA) awarded to the MDVPTB in September 2002 by the U.S. Department of Justice. MDVPTB is partnering in this project with the United States Attorneys Offices for the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan, the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan, the Michigan State Police, the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards, the Michigan Attorney General's Office, the Michigan Indian Judges Association and the Michigan Judicial Institute. MCOLES credit is available to law enforcement officers. For registration information, call Herb Tanner (517) 334-6060 ext. 829.

About the Michigan Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Board (MDVPTB)

The Michigan Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Board (MDVPTB) was created by the legislature in 1978 and is administratively housed within the Michigan Family Independence Agency. The board consists of seven Governor-appointed members with an executive director overseeing daily operations. The MDVPTB has defined its mission as: To lead statewide efforts to eliminate domestic and sexual violence in Michigan.

MDVPTB administers state and federal funding for sexual assault programs and services and domestic violence shelters and advocacy services. MDVPTB also develops and recommends policy in collaboration with other agencies and develops and provides technical assistance and training.

Many resource materials are available through the Michigan Resource Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence. The Resource Center is a unique collection of over 3,500 books and 300 videos on domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, violence prevention, nonprofit management, medical and legal response to violence against women, public policy and much more. The MRCDSV is a collaboration of the Michigan Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Board and the Michigan Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. The MDVPTB is the primary funder and owner of the collection.

The MDVPTB e-Report is developed and written by the Michigan Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Board (MDVPTB) in association with Mort Crim Communications, Inc.

This e-Report is being sent to a limited number of leaders throughout the state. Please feel free to forward it to your staff, domestic and sexual violence coordinating council members, law enforcement, and anyone else you think would benefit from seeing this information. Thank you.

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© 2004. All Rights Reserved.

Michigan Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Board
Family Independence Agency
P.O. Box 30037
Lansing, Michigan 48909