And when you leave the first time, you never want to go back because you probably haven't done a whole lot of good. Enter domestic violence response teams, which are fast gaining popularity nationally. The Sacramento County Sheriff's Department and South Lake Tahoe Police Department are the only agencies in the four-county area with response teams. Such teams respond to the scenes of domestic violence crimes or meet with the victims soon afterward. The advocates offer victims counseling, information on their options and encouragement to follow through on their reports because the majority of domestic violence victims later decline to testify.
Some teams also offer counseling for the batterers.
Meanwhile, team officers work to put together strong cases against the batterers, so they learn their actions have consequences. And together, the advocates and officers attempt to show victims that the system can protect them. After only 14 months, his 16-member Domestic Violence Enhanced Response Team has become a national model. The team includes members of groups as diverse as child protective services and the Humane Society. For Sacramento County resident Sarah Brown, it took such a systemic approach to help her end a 10-year violent relationship.