The District Attorney also handles misdemeanor cases that occur outside of the City of San Diego and Poway. The Domestic Violence Unit of the City Attorney s Office is a special unit formed to prosecute misdemeanor domestic violence, child abuse and elder abuse cases. The Unit consists of a specially trained staff of attorneys, investigators, victim advocates, clerical personnel and interns from colleges and law schools. The Unit was formed in 1988 in an effort to reduce the violence occurring in San Diego homes and to make victims safer. The San Diego Police Department responds to approximately 15,000 domestic violence calls a year, including both misdemeanors and felonies.
Domestic violence is a crime.
The City Attorney s Office files criminal complaints against individuals who commit crimes. We believe batterers should be held accountable for their crimes. If this case goes to trial, all of the information gathered will be used as evidence to prove the defendant is guilty of the charges. It would be unusual for a first-time domestic violence offender to get a lengthy jail sentence for a misdemeanor offense. First-time offenders are ordered to counseling, assigned to do public work service, placed on informal probation for three years, and ordered by the judge not to break any laws.