10 February 2005

Governor’s Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board Receives Assistance from National Expert

The Governor’s Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board (FRB) hosted a national expert to share his expertise and knowledge on reviewing domestic violence fatalities at the board’s meeting today in Topeka.

Neil Websdale, author of Understanding Domestic Homicide, Policing the Poor: From Slave Plantation to Public Housing and Rural Women Battering and the Justice System, assisted the board in developing procedures for gathering information on and reviewing domestic violence fatalities in Kansas. Websdale is a consultant and associate professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at Northern Arizona University. He also serves as director of the National Domestic Violence Fatality Review Initiative, a clearinghouse and resource center that reviews domestic violence homicides.

The FRB is charged with reviewing all adult domestic violence-related fatalities, describing trends and patterns regarding the facts and circumstances of these fatalities, recommending improvements to prevent future fatalities and determining if adequate resources and training are in place for those who respond to domestic violence crimes.

“I’m pleased the board is drawing on the expertise of a national expert in developing its procedures in reviewing fatalities,” Governor Kathleen Sebelius said.

“We were anxious to learn more about the National Domestic Violence Fatality Review Initiative’s approach to examining domestic violence fatalities and seeing what procedures we can incorporate in our reviews in Kansas,” Bob Stephan, former Kansas Attorney General and FRB Chair said. “We want to ensure that our reviews are conducted in the most comprehensive and efficient manner in order to help identify trends and patterns that ultimately will lead us to solutions to prevent this abuse.”

The FRB meeting was held in conjunction with the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence’s Safe Homes, Safe Streets Awareness Day on February 10 from 8 to 4:30 p.m. at the State Capitol, the coalition’s news conference at 11 a.m. featured Governor Kathleen Sebelius and Chair Stephan and includes a reception at 6 p.m. The reception will highlight Don McPherson, a former NFL quarterback who leads a movement challenging men to take responsibility for inappropriate and abusive behavior. Megan Bushell, Miss Kansas 2004, and Stephan will co-host the reception.