High risk team partners with Holy Family to fight violent crime

By Katie Curley, Staff Writer
Published January 21, 2008, The Daily News of Newburyport

NEWBURYPORT - While deaths tied to domestic violence cases have been on the rise across the state in the past year, 75 percent of the 42 cases of domestic violence locally have resulted in the incarceration of the batterer. None have resulted in death.

Local and state officials credit the success of controlling domestic violence locally in large part to the High Risk Team at the Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center, which was honored at a news conference yesterday at Newburyport District Court that included a number of prominent local law enforcement officials.

The results serve as a glimmer of hope in the otherwise grim statewide picture, the officials said. There have been 35 homicides linked to domestic violence in Massachusetts since the start of the year, compared to just 19 total last year, according to Jane Doe Inc., statistics.

"We have had extreme success," said Michelle Fino, communications specialist for the Jeanne Geiger Center. "When you look at our success against the backdrop of the increased domestic violence homicides this year alone, it's really amazing."

Local and state politicians were on hand to hear the release of the statewide statistics yesterday in District Court and offer their praise to the team, heralded by the Essex County Anti-Crime Council and the National Network to End Domestic Violence as a model for other organizations .

"This is an important and happy day," District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett said. "Domestic violence is murder waiting to happen, and this team model has to be replicated across Essex County and across the nation.

The High Risk Team, started in 2005 after the murder of Amesbury's Dorothy Guinta Cotter by her husband, works to identify abusive relationships early, coordinate and share information with police, and monitor high risk relationships.

"It is critical we keep domestic violence in the public eye," said Kevin Burke, secretary of the Executive Office of Public Safety. "It is a cultural problem that will not be irradiated quickly."

The High Risk Team, partnered with police departments from six surrounding communities as well as Caritas Holy Family Hospital in Methuen and Anna Jaques Hospital in Newburyport, works to support safety within local families and hold batterers accountable for their actions.

The team meets on a regular basis to train police and partners as well as to assess each case that comes to police to determine what can be done.

"We are saving lives and holding people more accountable more than before the team," Newbury police Officer Patty Fisher said.

The High Risk Team will receive the Spirit of Advocacy Award given by the National Network to End Domestic Violence next month.

"For so long, the police have had a bad rap in domestic violence circles, but they really want to do a good job," Fino said. "When we are all training each other and speaking the same language, it just works so beautifully."