Safe at Home Annual Report 2014-2015€¦ · In 2014, an internal performance review of Safe at...

Safe at Home Annual Report

2014 - 2015

Department of Police and Emergency Management Department of Justice Department of Health and Human Services Department of Premier and Cabinet Department of Education

Safe at Home Annual Report 2014-2015

Table of Contents 1. Acronyms ........................................................................................................................................... 4

2. Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 5 2.1 Governance .............................................................................................................................................. 5

2.1.1 Steering Committee .......................................................................................................................... 5 2.1.2 Interdepartmental Committee ....................................................................................................... 5 2.1.3 Regional Coordinating Committees .............................................................................................. 6

2.2 Integrated Case Coordination ............................................................................................................. 6 2.3 Protective Orders .................................................................................................................................. 6

3. Safe at Home Services ..................................................................................................................... 7 3.1 Safe at Home Service Reports ............................................................................................................. 9

3.1.1 Department of Police and Emergency Management ................................................................. 9 3.1.3 Victim Safety Response Teams (VSRTs)..................................................................................... 11 3.1.4 Police Prosecutions ......................................................................................................................... 11 3.1.5 Police Safe at Home Coordinator ............................................................................................... 11 3.1.6 Family Argument and Family Violence Incident Definition .................................................... 12

3.2 Department of Justice .......................................................................................................................... 14 3.2.1 Safe at Home Coordination Unit ................................................................................................. 14 3.2.2 Court Support and Liaison Service ............................................................................................. 14 3.2.3 Legal Aid Commission of Tasmania ............................................................................................. 16 3.2.4 Court Outcomes for Family Violence Offences ...................................................................... 18 3.2.5 Family Violence Offender Intervention Program (FVOIP) ..................................................... 20

3.3 Department of Health and Human Services .................................................................................. 21 3.3.1 Family Violence Counselling and Support Service (FVCSS)................................................... 21 3.3.2 Child Protection Service ................................................................................................................ 23 3.3.3 Defendant Health Liaison Service (DHLS)................................................................................. 24

3.4 Department of Premier and Cabinet ............................................................................................... 26 3.4.1 Office of Aboriginal Affairs ............................................................................................................ 26 3.4.2 Communities, Sport and Recreation ........................................................................................... 26

3.5 Department of Education ................................................................................................................... 26

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List of Tables, Charts and Diagrams Chart 1: FVRRL Call Trend ..................................................................................................................... 9

Diagram 1: Tasmania Police violence incident response ................................................................ 10

Table 1: Number of Family Violence Incidents ................................................................................. 12

Table 2: Number of Family Arguments attended by Tasmania Police ......................................... 12

Table 3: Police Family Violence Orders (PFVOs) Issued ................................................................ 12

Table 4: Family Violence Orders (FVOs) Court Application ....................................................... 13

Table 5: New Clients .............................................................................................................................. 15

Table 6: Existing Clients (inclusive of new clients) ......................................................................... 15

Table 7: Episodes of Client Communication .................................................................................... 15

Table 8: New Clients .............................................................................................................................. 16

Table 9: Existing clients .......................................................................................................................... 16

Table 10: Episodes of Service Provision ............................................................................................. 17

Table 11: Court Appearances ............................................................................................................... 17

Table 12: FVO Applications ................................................................................................................... 17

Table 13: FVO Application to Vary / Extend ..................................................................................... 17

Table 14: Family Violence Order Applications Lodged Magistrates Court ............................... 18

Table 15: Sentence Imposed for Family Violence Offences .......................................................... 19

Table 16: FVOIP Statistics ...................................................................................................................... 20

Table 17: FVCSS (Adult) Referrals including FVMS and internal and external referrals.......... 22

Table 18: FVCSS (Adult) Number of active clients .......................................................................... 22

Table 19: FVCSS CHYPP Number children, young persons and families who engaged in therapeutic counselling and support ................................................................................................... 22

Table 20: Number of Notifications from Police to CPS, by Primary Abuse Type .................. 23

Table 21: Number of Notifications from Police to CPS with a Primary Abuse Type of Emotional Abuse, by Assessment Decision ....................................................................................... 23

Table 22: DHLS New Clients Assisted ............................................................................................... 24

Table 23: DHLS Support Episodes to New and Existing Clients .................................................. 25

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1. Acronyms

1800 RESPECT – National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service

CHYPP – Children and Young Persons Program

CPS – Child Protection Service

CSLS – Court Support and Liaison Service

CSRT – Communities, Sport and Recreation Tasmania

DHLS – Defendant Health Liaison Service

FVCSS – Family Violence Counselling and Support Service

FVMS – Family Violence Management System

FVO – Family Violence Order

FVOIP – Family Violence Offender Intervention Program

FVRRL – Family Violence Response and Referral Line

ICC – Integrated Case Coordination

IDC – Interdepartmental Committee

IFVO – Interim Family Violence Order

PFVO – Police Family Violence Order

RAST – Risk Assessment Screening Tool

RCC – Regional Coordinating Committee

SIMS – Safe at Home Information Management System

VSRT – Victim Safety Response Team

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2. Introduction

Safe at Home is the Tasmanian Government’s integrated criminal justice response to family violence. The Safe at Home service system is underpinned by the Family Violence Act 2004 (the Act). Operated in partnership by the departments of Police and Emergency Management; Justice; Health and Human Services; Education; and Premier and Cabinet, it aims to:

a. improve the safety and security for adult and child victims of family violence in the short and long term;

b. ensure that offenders are held accountable for family violence as a public crime [and change their offending behaviour];

c. reduce the incidence and severity of family violence in the longer term; and

d. minimise the negative impacts of contact with the criminal justice system on adult and child victims.

It is founded on the principle of the ‘primacy of the safety of the victim’ and uses a pro-arrest, pro-prosecution strategy to realise this principle.

In 2014, an internal performance review of Safe at Home (the Review) was undertaken to assess whether the aims of Safe at Home were being met. The final Safe at Home Internal Performance Review Report can be found at www.safeathome.tas.gov.au

In June 2015, the Premier endorsed the recommendations of the Review and announced the development of a Tasmanian Family Violence Action Plan.

2.1 Governance

Northern Regional Coordinating Committee

Steering Committee

Interdepartmental Committee

Southern Regional Coordinating Committee

North-West Regional Coordinating Committee

2.1.1 Steering Committee

The Steering Committee has responsibility for the strategic direction of Safe at Home, overall resource distribution and resolving operational matters that cannot be agreed at the Interdepartmental Committee (IDC) level. Members are senior officials from the departments of Justice (Chair); Police and Emergency Management; Health and Human Services; Premier and Cabinet; and Education.

2.1.2 Interdepartmental Committee

The operational planning and development of Safe at Home has been undertaken by an Interdepartmental Committee (IDC), which is chaired by the Department of Justice. The IDC has a broad based membership including representatives from the departments of Health and Human Services, Justice, Police and Emergency Services, Premier and Cabinet, Education, the Magistrates

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http://www.safeathome.tas.gov.au/


Court, Legal Aid Commission of Tasmania and the Tasmanian Prison Service. The IDC is responsible for service system design and ongoing system monitoring and improvement.

2.1.3 Regional Coordinating Committees

The IDC is supported by Regional Coordinating Committees (RCCs) which have a role in coordinating activities in each region and reporting any unresolved policy or system design matters to the IDC. The RCC’s include similar membership as the IDC with the addition of other agencies such as those responsible for housing or mental health (note that there are regional differences in the attendance of these agencies). The RCCs also have a charter to develop and foster ongoing relationships with relevant non-government services in their region in order to achieve improved information flow and better coordinated services for victims and offenders at the local level.

2.2 Integrated Case Coordination

A key feature of the Safe at Home service response is integrated case coordination. Integrated case coordination was introduced in recognition of the fact that no one service can manage all of the risk and safety issues associated with a Safe at Home case. Integrated Case Coordination (ICC) meetings are held on a weekly basis in each of the four Police districts throughout the State.

Integrated case coordination is a systematic and holistic approach to coordinating interventions to address the risk and safety needs of Safe at Home clients across professional and agency boundaries. It aims to maximise the efficient use of available resources in order to produce better outcomes for clients through a ‘seamless’ service delivery system. The aim of the ICC approach is to contribute to the safety of adult and child victims of family violence and mitigate against the risk that an offender will repeat or escalate their violence by coordinating an integrated service response that is proactive, timely, holistic and effective. More specifically, case coordination involves developing a series of agreed goals, interventions and responsibilities that provide a cohesive and integrated approach to address the identified risk and safety needs of a case.

ICC‘s are attended by representatives from the Department of Police and Emergency Management Victim Safety Response Teams (VSRTs), Police Prosecution, Family Violence Counselling and Support Service (FVCSS), Court Support and Liaison Service (CSLS), Child Protection Service (CPS) and Defendant Health Liaison Service (DHLS).

The meeting considers all new and ‘active’ family violence ‘cases’ in the region. The servicing of these meetings is undertaken by the Safe at Home Coordination Unit of the Department of Justice.

ICCs determine an appropriate course of action for each case and assign a Case Coordinator. Generally the Case Coordinator is the service provider who is most likely to have ongoing contact with the victim. Where the level of risk to the victim remains high, case coordination remains with the VSRT.

ICCs can close cases if all matters associated with the case have been finalised and there has been no reported family violence related activity for a period of three months and all risk and safety issues have been addressed. The unanimous agreement by all ICC members is required before a case can be closed.

2.3 Protective Orders

There are three types of family violence protective orders that may be issued to protect victims. The breach of a protective Order is a criminal offence. Serious penalties can apply such as imprisonment or a fine, depending on the seriousness of the breach and the perpetrator's history of breaching.

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Interim Family Violence Orders (IFVO) and Family Violence Orders (FVO)

An application for an IFVO or FVO may be made to a court by a police officer; an affected person; an affected child, if the court is satisfied that the child is capable of understanding the nature of the proceedings; or, any other person (such as a legal representative) to whom leave to apply is granted by a court.

An FVO may include such conditions as the court considers are necessary or desirable to prevent the commission of family violence against an affected person or to protect any other person named in the Order.

In making an FVO, a court must consider the safety and interests of the person for whose benefit the order is sought and any affected child to be of paramount importance.

The order can be written to suit an individual’s situation.

Police Family Violence Order (PFVO)

A PFVO may be issued by a police officer of the rank of sergeant or above if the officer is satisfied that the person has, or is likely to commit a family violence offence. A PFVO will operate for a period of no more than 12 months.

The order may have conditions attached to it including requiring a person to:

• vacate any premises; • not enter any premises; • surrender any firearm or weapon; • refrain from harassing, threatening, verbally abusing or assaulting an affected person or child;

and • not approach or contact an affected person or child.

3. Safe at Home Services

The following services were established or extended under Safe At Home in order to meet the identified needs of adult and child victims and offenders and create critical systems linkages:

Department of Police and Emergency Management

• Family Violence Response and Referral Line

• Victim Safety Response Teams

• Police Prosecutions (Specialist Family Violence Prosecutors)

• Police Safe at Home Coordinator

Department of Justice

• Safe at Home Coordination Unit

• Court Support and Liaison Service

• Legal Aid Commission of Tasmania (Specialist Family Violence Lawyers)

• Family Violence Offender Intervention Program

Department of Health and Human Services

• Family Violence Counselling and Support Service (Adult and Children’s Programs)

• Defendant Health Liaison Service

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In addition, Safe at Home works closely with operational Police, Child Protection Services, the Magistrates Court, the Department of Premier and Cabinet and the Department of Education.

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3.1 Safe at Home Service Reports

3.1.1 Department of Police and Emergency Management

3.1.1.1 Family Violence Response and Referral Line (FVRRL)

Tasmania Police operate the Family Violence Response and Referral Line 24 hours per day 7 days per week through the police radio despatch for an immediate police response.

If there are no immediate concerns about the safety of the victim, the caller is transferred to the Family Violence Counselling and Support Service (FVCSS) or the Court Support and Liaison Service (CSLS) for further assistance. If a victim requires immediate counselling after hours, the call is referred to 1800 RESPECT, the national 24/7 counselling helpline.

In 2014-15, a total of 1 019 calls were made to the FVRRL.

Chart 1: FVRRL Call Trend

Chart 1: FVRRL Call Trend

Safe at Home clients are able to enter the response system through multiple pathways, including individual Safe at Home services. The only requirement for Safe at Home clients is that there has been a police intervention which has resulted in a Family Violence Management System (FVMS) report.

3.1.2 Operational Police

Operational police are the first to respond to family violence incidents. They assess whether an incident is a ‘family argument’ or a ‘family violence’ matter; investigate criminal offences; administer the Risk Assessment Screening Tool (RAST); and create a FVMS report which is then quality assured by either the VSRT or a supervising Sergeant.

Operational police determine the appropriate response in each circumstance to enhance the safety of the victim and affected children and ensure the offender is held criminally responsible for their behaviour where evidence exists that an offence has occurred. Operational police determine the appropriate charges, issue Police Family Violence Orders (PFVOs), make applications to the Magistrates Court for Family Violence Orders (FVOs), determine bail and prepare bail oppositions where they are not satisfied of the safety of the victim if the offender is released from custody. Operational police are also responsible for notifications to Children and Youth Services where a child is affected by family violence.

0

1000

2000

2012-13 2013-14 2014-15

FVRRL Calls

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Is it a significant relationship (as determined by the Relationships Act 2003 (Tas)?

No Yes

Consider other actions/charges (ie Restraint Order,

charges or advice)

Is it an argument only? Yes

Is it an incident as determined by the Family Violence Act 2004, s.7 (FVA)

Submit a Family Argument Report for information via the

FVMS

Action at scene: - Investigation - RAST, Safety Audit - Statutory Declaration taken

-Take offender into custody

Consider FVA s.12 Bail: - Demeanour - Risk Assessment - Safety Audit - Accommodation (for either party) - Any other relevant matter (ie charges and seriousness of incident

PFVO

FVO

Submit FVMS Report - PFVO made and issued - Offender released with order; OR - Bailed with the order and any accompanying charges

Submit FVMS Report - Offender detained for court - FVO application made by attending police - File completed for any accompanying charges (if any)

Diagram 1: Tasmania Police violence incident response

Safe at Home partners are alerted to incidents through the FVMS reports. An FVMS extract is imported to the Safe at Home Information Management System (SIMS) and the integrated case coordination process commences.

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3.1.3 Victim Safety Response Teams (VSRTs)

The Department of Police and Emergency Management has three Victim Safety Response Teams (VSRTs) covering the three regions throughout the State (South, North and North-West).

The primary focus of the VSRTs is to enhance victim safety after operational police have attended by:

• implementing strategies to minimise risk and maximise safety for victims and affected children;

• provide quality assurance and review mechanisms in relation to the actions of operational police;

• providing case coordination of families where there is an ongoing risk of violence; • liaising with other Safe at Home partners and attending Integrated Case Coordination

Committee (ICC) meetings; • assessing applications to vary PFVOs; • conducting safety audits, preparing safety plans and implementing security upgrades where

appropriate; • managing offenders at large (ensuring enquiries are conducted to locate offenders and

ensure the safety of the victim until this is achieved); • investigating breaches of protective orders; • oversighting the use and application of the initial risk assessment process ie RAST; • ensuring the development of a safety plan which may include strategies to enable the victim

to remain in their own home; and • gathering evidence to support the prosecution of offenders.

3.1.4 Police Prosecutions

Six specialist police prosecutor positions are funded under Safe At Home to provide better quality information to the courts, including information that enable the courts to assess the risk and safety aspects of family violence matters and the patterns of violence that exist in certain families.

3.1.5 Police Safe at Home Coordinator

The Safe at Home Coordinator for the Department of Police and Emergency Management is attached to the Executive Support Command. The following functions are the responsibility of the Safe at Home Coordinator (Sergeant), Legislation Development and Review Services:

• identification of statewide family violence trends and issues; • monitoring statewide training and development needs and district training programs; • stakeholder engagement, including government and non-government agencies on matters

relative to family violence; • preparation and delivery of authorised officer training, record maintenance and gazette

notices; • community programs, events and presentations (eg White Ribbon Day coordination); • liaison with external agencies regarding offender management programs; • liaison with external agencies regarding affected child interventions and management; • management of family violence information technology requirements including the FVMS and

Tasmania Police system integration with the Safe at Home Information Management System (SIMS); and

• monitoring of FVMS coronial matters relevant outcomes/findings.

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3.1.6 Family Argument and Family Violence Incident Definition

Family Argument A dispute between two persons, in a family relationship, where family violence as defined in Section 7 of the Family Violence Act 2004 has not, and is not likely, to be committed. No further action is required in these cases.

Family Violence Incident Defined in Section 7 of the Family Violence Act 2004 as:

• assault, including sexual assault; • threats, coercion, intimidation or verbal abuse; • abduction; • stalking; • attempting or threatening to commit any of the above; • economic abuse; • emotional abuse or intimidation; and • contravening an external Family Violence Order (FVO), an interim FVO, an FVO or a Police

Family Violence Order (PFVO).

Tasmania Police Safe at Home Activity 2014-15

The information contained in the following tables was obtained from Tasmania Police, Annual Corporate Reports.

Table 1: Number of Family Violence Incidents

2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015

South 1 072 1 132 1 268

North 602 660 700

North-West 574 588 638

Total 2 248 2 380 2 606

Note 1: In October 2012 Tasmania Police began recording incidents with dual offenders as a single incident report rather than multiple reports on each offender. Any year-to-date comparisons of this data must take this change in counting rules into consideration.

Table 2: Number of Family Arguments attended by Tasmania Police

2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015

1 612 1 691 1 804

Table 3: Police Family Violence Orders (PFVOs) Issued

2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015

South 660 661 718

North 319 346 352


Total 1 354 1 338 1 456

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Table 4: Family Violence Orders (FVOs) Court Application 1

2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015

South 177 168 146

North 38 33 27

North-West 84 73 54

Total 299 274 227

1 FVO initiated by Police or variation to a PFVO

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3.2 Department of Justice

3.2.1 Safe at Home Coordination Unit

The Safe at Home Coordination Unit has ongoing responsibility for managing the policy and administrative support for Safe at Home. This includes:

• Providing executive support to the Safe at Home Steering Committee.

• Chairing the Safe at Home IDC and providing executive support to the IDC.

• Providing executive support to the three RCCs and progressing the operational issues raised by the RCCs.

• Providing executive support to the ICC meetings which are held weekly in four regions.

• Providing strategic policy development and oversight of the whole-of-government integrated Safe at Home program.

• Oversight and continued development of the Safe at Home Information Management System (SIMS).

• Providing technical support to all Safe at Home SIMS users.

In April 2015, the Safe at Home Internal Performance Review undertaken by the Safe at Home Coordination Unit was presented to the Attorney-General. In June 2015, the Premier endorsed the recommendations of the Review and announced the development of a Tasmanian Family Violence Action Plan.

Executive Support Provided to Safe at Home Meetings

• Steering Committee – 2 meetings • IDC – 8 meetings • RCCs -8 meetings • ICC – 200 meetings

3.2.2 Court Support and Liaison Service

The Court Support and Liaison Service (CSLS) is located within the Victims Support Services in the Department of Justice. The CSLS provides support to adult and child victims of family violence. Support is available for male and female victims regardless of age or cultural background. The CSLS includes an Aboriginal Court Support Officer.

Dedicated CSLOs are available statewide to assist Safe at Home clients with the following:

• how to take out a FVO;

• how to vary or extend an existing Order;

• Victim Impact Statements;

• provide advice on legal and court processes; and

• provide ongoing updates on progress of a matter through the courts.

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Further assistance can be provided by the CSLOs as matters proceed through the courts including:

• providing court orientation in the form of a court tour to explain court layout and facilities and the roles of people in the court;

• accompanying the victim to court and providing support throughout the court process;

• debriefing following court and discussing the impact of a magistrate/judge’s decisions; and

• follow-up through referral to other services.

Activity Report

Table 5: New Clients

2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015

South 220 201 128

North 175 298 228


Aboriginal 2 4 1

Total 487 707 574

Table 6: Existing Clients (inclusive of new clients) 2

2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015

South 2 208 1 732 1 900

North 1 606 1 709 2 110

North-West 1 436 1 711 1 850

Aboriginal 58 55 45

Total 5 308 5 207 5 905

Table 7: Episodes of Client Communication 3

2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015

South 11 252 11 533 12 314

North 13 555 16 022 16 076

North-West 9 659 10 446 14 369

Aboriginal 263 428 275

Total 34 729 38 429 43 034

2 Clients registered on the Court Support and Liaison Service database. 3 These figures represent a range of communication methods with existing clients, predominately telephone and face to face contact including supporting clients at court.

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3.2.3 Legal Aid Commission of Tasmania

Dedicated Safe at Home lawyers within the Legal Aid Commission provide legal advice to victims of family violence. This includes initial advice concerning a variety of areas of law relevant to separation which can be ‘triggers’ for further incidents unless addressed, as well as preparation of and representation in court processes concerning family violence, such as applications for FVOs.

The Legal Aid Commission also communicates and shares information concerning risk and safety with other Safe At Home services, including to Integrated Case Coordination meetings; and assists clients to prepare to report to Police in an efficient manner providing sufficient and relevant details, reducing the use of Police time and increasing the chances of a response commensurate to the risk.

The Legal Aid Commission assists in cross-linking Safe At Home processes with Family Law matters; has input into consultations concerning policy both State and Commonwealth, both within Safe at Home and relevant to family violence in other policy areas; and provides community education about legal aspects of family violence.

Safe at Home lawyers participate in community education, including to the general community and to specific groups or organisations, and in targeted education to the staff members of various organisations who will work with victims of family violence and children affected by family violence, either stand-alone, or in conjunction with education about the Family Law Act and Children, Young Persons & their Families Act.

Safe at Home lawyers have input through the Legal Aid Commission of Tasmania into comments on proposed legislation (both State and Federal) where the legislation is likely to impact specifically on victims of family violence and children affected by family violence.

Activity Report

Table 8: New Clients

2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015

South 254 270 134

North 103 131 84

North-West 66 61 35

Total 423 462 253

Table 9: Existing clients

2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015

South 603 412 285

North 208 103 81

North-West 53 44 40

Total 864 559 406

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Table 10: Episodes of Service Provision

2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015

South 882 914 521

North 353 365 334


Total 1 395 1 377 1 063

Table 11: Court Appearances

2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015

South 105 119 59

North 19 32 21

North-West 1 3 9

Total 125 154 89

Table 12: FVO Applications

2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015

South 67 22 18

North 10 7 6

North-West 0 1 2

Total 77 30 26

Table 13: FVO Application to Vary / Extend

2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015

South 15 15 14

North 7 7 17

North-West 5 3 6

Total 27 25 37

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3.2.4 Court Outcomes for Family Violence Offences Family violence offences are determined by the Family Violence Act 2004. Under the Act family violence means:

(a) any of the following types of conduct committed by a person, directly or indirectly, against that person's spouse or partner:

(i) assault, including sexual assault;

(ii) threats, coercion, intimidation or verbal abuse;

(iii) abduction;

(iv) stalking within the meaning of section 192 of the Criminal Code

(b) any of the following:

(i) economic abuse;

(ii) emotional abuse or intimidation;

(iii) contravening an external family violence order, an interim Family Violence Order (IFVO), a Family Violence Order (FVO) or a Police Family Violence Order (PFVO).

Table 14: Family Violence Order Applications Lodged Magistrates Court 4

Application Type 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15

To extend Police Family Violence Order 15 16 10

To revoke Police Family Violence Order 43 58 46

To vary Police Family Violence Order 77 85 115

For grant of Family Violence Order 486 565 532

To extend Family Violence Order 25 29 35

To revoke Family Violence Order 10 31 22

To vary Family Violence Order 93 83 128

To register interstate Family Violence Order 7 17 21

Total 756 884 909

4 This table is reproduced from the Magistrates Court Annual Report 2014-15

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http://www.thelaw.tas.gov.au/tocview/index.w3p;cond=;doc_id=69%2B%2B1924%2BJS1%40GS192%40EN%2B20140415130000%23JS1%40GS192%40EN;histon=;prompt=;rec=;term=

http://www.thelaw.tas.gov.au/tocview/index.w3p;cond=;doc_id=69%2B%2B1924%2BJS1%40GS192%40EN%2B20140415130000%23JS1%40GS192%40EN;histon=;prompt=;rec=;term=


Table 15: Sentence Imposed for Family Violence Offences 5

Principal Sentence 2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015

Imprisonment with specific term

79 87 102

Imprisonment with partially suspended term

43 50 55

Fully suspended adult sentence

121 118 120

Community Service Orders 64 56 59

Probation Orders 48 75 59

Fine / Monetary Order 193 201 227

Good Behaviour Bond / Orders

283 237 261

Nominal Penalty 58 51 43

Total 889 875 926

5 These offences may include: Destroy Property; Injure Property; Trespass; Common Assault; Breach of Bail; Resist Police and Stalking

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3.2.5 Family Violence Offender Intervention Program (FVOIP)

The FVOIP (the Program) is delivered by Community Corrections on behalf of Safe at Home. Both group and individual programs are available. Offenders presenting to the courts for family violence matters may be referred to Community Corrections for an eligibility assessment for the FVOIP. If deemed eligible, offenders may be sentenced to attend the Program as part of a community based order (ie probation/community service or suspended sentence). The Program is 50 hours in duration, and offenders are case managed by a Probation Officer during their participation in the Program.

The Program is facilitated by two trained Probation Officers. Refresher training for facilitators is offered on an annual basis. Specialist supervision is also provided to all FVOIP facilitators to ensure a high standard of facilitation and offender management.

The Program is run in the three regions of the State and outreach individual programs (12 sessions) are available for those in remote areas or for offenders who have suitability or responsivity factors precluding them attending a group based program.

Table 16: FVOIP Statistics

2012-13 2013-14 2014-15

Commenced Completed Commenced Completed Commenced Completed

South 18 5 27 1 6 11

North 12 2 10 4 23 15

North West 9 5

11

5

8

2

Totals

39 12

(30.77%)

48 26

(54.17%)

37 28

(75.68%)

1 The South operates a continuous rolling program which allows several intakes with multiple group completions

2 One held in the North and one in the North-West 3 Program delivered to individuals unable to attend group programs in the North-West 4 Two held in the North and one in the North-West 5 Two in the North and two in the North-West

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3.3 Department of Health and Human Services

3.3.1 Family Violence Counselling and Support Service (FVCSS)

FVCSS is a Safe at Home partner which provides support to adults identified as victims of family violence and children and young people impacted by the experience of witnessing or being directly impacted by exposure to family violence.

The FVCSS Adult Program provides services to address the experience of family violence and trauma:

• Advocacy

• Telephone counselling; and

• Therapeutic counselling.

The FVCSS Adult Program undertakes assessment of all Tasmania Police FVMS reports and contacts all people identified as victims of family violence incidents. The Adult Program workers also contact people identified through their assessment as requiring support following family arguments, particularly if one party has previously been identified as a victim in past FVMS records.

The FVCSS Adult Program also receives referrals from other government and non-government agencies. These may include the 1800RESPECT service, the Family Violence Response and Referral Line, community agencies, family members and individuals seeking support. The FVCSS Adult Program acts as a gateway to the Safe at Home system for some clients, with information provision and supported referrals to Tasmania Police to report family violence matters.

The FVCSS Children and Young Person’s Program (CHYPP) counsellors provide a range of services to address the impact of family violence on children and young people. The services involve provision of:

• Psychometric assessment;

• Therapeutic counselling to children and young people impacted by the experience of family violence;

• Parent/child sessions for parents and children 0 to 5 years;

• One to one counselling for children aged 5 to 17 years; and

• Group sessions for parents and children aged 5+ years old.

The FVCSS program comprises twenty five full-time equivalent staff across the Adult program and CHYPP.

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Activity Report

Table 17: FVCSS (Adult) Referrals including FVMS and internal and external referrals

2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015

South 1 928 2 075 2 445

North 1 176 1 370 1 455

North-West 1 259 1 279 1 299

Total 4 363 4 724 5 199

Table 18: FVCSS (Adult) Number of active clients

2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015

South 1 034 1 024 1 084

North 553 578 564


Total 1 942 1 482 2 137

Note: Clients who have an open FVCSS case

Table 19: FVCSS CHYPP Number children, young persons and families who engaged in therapeutic counselling and support

2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015

South 85 113 95

North 88 88 79

North-West 71 54 57

Total 244 255 231

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3.3.2 Child Protection Service

The Child Protection Service (CPS) receives Safe at Home funding to manage notifications stemming from Tasmania Police attendance at family violence incidents.

Table 20: Number of Notifications from Police to CPS, by Primary Abuse Type 6

Notification Source 2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015

Police Notifications: All abuse types

4 340 4 893 5 872

Police Notifications: Emotional abuse

2 992 3 454 4 478

Total 7 332 8 347 10 350

Table 21: Number of Notifications from Police to CPS with a Primary Abuse Type of Emotional Abuse, by Assessment Decision

Assessment Decision 2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015

Advice / Referral 94 73 56

Other Intervention 653 712 722

Protective Investigation 299 199 322

No Further Action 1 946 2 470 3 378

Total 2 992 3 454 4 478

In the table above, the Assessment Decision categories are based on the definitions in the Child Protection National Minimum Data Set data collection manual:

• ‘Advice / Referral’ indicates that a referral is made from the child protection section to another service provider, and/or where brief advice and telephone counselling is provided.

• ‘Other Intervention’ indicates notifications where there is a low risk of harm and a non-investigatory response is required.

6 Emotional abuse notifications are included in the number of Police notifications for all abuse types.

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• ‘Protective Investigation’ indicates where there are significant concerns regarding harm or

risk of harm to warrant an investigatory response.

• ‘No Further Action’ indicates notifications where there are concerns about children but there is no risk of harm / actual harm and no departmental action is required.

3.3.3 Defendant Health Liaison Service (DHLS) The DHLS assists offenders to access appropriate services for assistance, assessment and/or treatment through active referral and provides information and consultation to Safe at Home and other services to enhance service delivery to offenders with special needs with the overall aim of reducing the risk of reoffending. This is achieved through:

• early identification of offenders with special needs and referral to services; • health screening, and risk and safety assessment; • advocacy; and • development of clinical pathways and protocols to support clients’ access to services.

The service objectives of the DHLS are:

• to provide a comprehensive and informative assessment of offenders determining their individual risk/need profile, eligibility, suitability and motivation for change;

• to deliver a case coordination service that provides offenders with the opportunity for rehabilitation; and

• to work in partnership with other Safe at Home providers to manage the ongoing safety of victims through the case coordination process.

Table 22: DHLS New Clients Assisted

2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015

New Clients Voluntary 41 20 64

Bail Conditions 104 115 129

Court Undertakings 3 0 9

Interim FVO 1 0 0

Total 149 1357 202

7 The Southern Defendant Health Liaison Officer assisted in joint facilitation of FVOIP with Community Corrections in 2013-2014

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Table 23: DHLS Support Episodes to New and Existing Clients

2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015

Phone / Email 1 475 1 287 1 351

Face to Face 316 246 279

Introduction to Services Letter

33 8 181

Court Reports 76 96 125

Court Appearances 58 17 33

Assessments Completed 70 108 169

Total 2 028 1 762 2 138

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3.4 Department of Premier and Cabinet

3.4.1 Office of Aboriginal Affairs

The Office of Aboriginal Affairs provides advice on culturally appropriate responses to Aboriginal victims and offenders of family violence.

3.4.2 Communities, Sport and Recreation

In 2014, the Community Development Division and Sport and Recreation were amalgamated to become Communities, Sport and Recreation (CSR). CSR has carriage of the Tasmanian response to the National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children (National Plan). Information on the progress of the National Plan is provided to Safe at Home partners through the IDC in addition to information on Tasmanian Government family violence policy development outside of the criminal justice system. Safe at Home is represented on the Tasmanian National Plan IDC.

3.5 Department of Education The Department of Education provides Family Violence Orders and Police Family Violence Orders to schools and child care centres so that school staff become aware of any restrictions placed on offenders contact with children who are attending the school.

74 Orders were forwarded to school principals and child care centres in the 2014-2015 financial year.

The Department of Education also provides advice on the needs of children to Safe at Home.

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Safe at Home Annual Report 2014-2015€¦ · In 2014, an internal performance review of Safe at...

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