Judge forms panel to review domestic violence court

When it comes to domestic violence hearings, segregation is a good thing.

Since Cook County's domestic violence courthouse opened in 2005, segregation of victims and their alleged abusers has been a key factor in running the state-of-the-art facility on W. Harrison Street in Chicago.

The larger facility improved on its predecessor at 13th Street and Michigan Avenue, where tiny elevators and small courtrooms made contact between the parties unavoidable, allowing defendants to further intimidate their victims, said Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans.

"I asked the county board to give me an opportunity to build a domestic violence court facility that is centrally located and that separates victims from perpetrators the minute they get to the courthouse," he said.

The three-year-old facility also houses women's advocacy groups, offices of the state's attorney, a pro bono legal services office for victims seeking orders of protection, and free child care for parents attending court proceedings.

Harrison Street is the result.

All Chicago criminal misdemeanor domestic violence cases and some felony domestic violence cases are heard at the courthouse, which has separate entrances and elevators, separate and secured waiting rooms and checkpoints and cameras throughout. It's all designed to ensure the safety of complaining witnesses in domestic violence cases with the ultimate goal of encouraging more victims to come forward and follow through on their complaints.

"We're interested in getting the word out that they're not going to be standing alone," said Evans.

While he believes the county is on the right path toward protecting some of its most vulnerable citizens, Evans says it has a way to go.

To that end, he established the Circuit Court of Cook County Committee on Domestic Violence Court on Thursday and appointed as its chairwoman Judge Grace G. Dickler, a 17-year veteran of the domestic relations division who has entered 3,000 orders of protection in her 20 years on the bench.

In a prepared statement, Evans charged the blue-ribbon committee comprised of attorneys, victims rights advocates and academics to "re-examine operations at 555 W. Harrison Street to ensure that the Circuit Court of Cook County remains on the cutting edge in providing a safe and secure environment for the hearing of domestic violence matters."

The committee also will review procedures related to domestic violence proceedings at suburban courthouses, including those in Rolling Meadows and Skokie. Those courthouses are larger, which means a lesser likelihood of victim and a defendant being thrown together.

Still, "there's room for improvement at suburban districts," said Evans, who has charged the committee with exploring how other counties around the country resolve these issues and if Cook County can adopt those measures to further safeguard victims.

"It will probably call for more expenditures," said Evans, "but what is a life worth?"

Those expenditures may include GPS devices similar to an ankle bracelet and used to enforce an order of protection, which the county may use to track defendants beginning Jan. 1, 2009. The passive device runs from $5 to $6 per day and documents when the wearer goes within a prohibited area. The active device runs $11 to $12 per day and immediately notifies the agency charged with monitoring the defendant of the violation. The price does not include the cost for personnel to monitor the devices.

"If I have to ask for more money, I'll do that," said Evans. "We have to do something."