But only a small fraction of those violators will ever be punished. In Virginia, for example, more than 7,200 protective orders have been authorized by the state's juvenile and domestic relations courts since July 1997. 15 persons were charged with violating protective orders and only five were convicted, according to Virginia Supreme Court records. In the Maryland suburbs, only 93 persons were held in contempt of the 9,121 protective orders issued from 1997 to 1999, according to court records. Experts say police, who should enforce the orders, and the judges who issue them, are to blame for that.
Most police officers see the orders as vaguely written warnings.
Some of them believe that unless they witness a violation, they don't think there is much they can do or they don't want to get involved, said Nancy Burnett, a New York lawyer who specializes in domestic violence cases. They'll claim that they have to catch them on the spot. When a New Hampshire judge issues a protective order, the law requires police to drive to the harasser's house and confiscate any guns or deadly weapons they find. Here, police officers are left on their own. Victims become frustrated, too.