Courts

This webinar examines the problem of Intimate Partner Violence Strangulation and an innovative response policy. The presentation will include an overview of the nature and extent of strangulation, its dangers, and adverse medical consequences followed by a review of a Strangulation Ordinance in Burleson, Texas that mandates extensive training for first responders and a city-wide response protocol for strangulation detection and investigation, documentation of strangulation signs and symptoms, medical assistance, and service referrals for strangulation survivors.

Forensic science research is developing essential knowledge to fill in the holes in death investigations, creating new ways to identify challenging skeletal remains. These methods inform cause of death, time of death, and familial relationships to guide investigations, identify suspects, support prosecutions, and bring justice to families.

This plenary will trace the arc of Allegheny County’s evidence-based investments in justice and human services reform, starting with the Allegheny County Jail Collaborative in 2000. Participants will highlight Allegheny County’s ongoing, and evolving investments in risk assessment tools to inform pretrial and child welfare decision-making, its commitment to reducing racial disparities in the human services and justice systems, and its continued commitment to building and learning from evidence informed by rigorous evaluation methodologies.