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Canadian Criminal Justice System: A Case Study

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Violence can be prevented, but not stopped; so why do people think that intimate partner violence can be stopped? That is the dream. Unfortunately, just like how a thief is not going to stop stealing because he could go to jail, an abuser is not going to stop abusing. All we can hope for is to be able to protect the victims after the violence and try to help them persevere. Prevention is important, but it is also important to know what the Canadian Criminal Justice System is doing to protect the victims. This paper discusses intimate partner violence (IPV) and the protection of victims by the Canadian Criminal Justice System. Protection orders, services, Criminal Justice System responses, and victim responses to the Criminal Justice System will all be examined. Couples who are in “intact relationships and possibly living together” are seen as less dangerous than split relationships; but police officers, contrary to their training, believe the opposite of this (Dawson & Hotton, 2014, p. 677). Police believe that the best way to avoid endangerment to someone, is to remove the threatening individual — usually by arresting them (Dawson & Hotton, 2014, p. 677). This is the first thing that the Criminal Justice System (CJS) can do to protect a victim. In Canada, we have multiple organizations within the community …show more content…

Therefore, responses to intimate partner violence by the Canadian Criminal Justice System regarding victim protection are extremely important. Over the years significant changes have been made, but there is still a long way to go. Victims of intimate partner violence do not view the justice system as comforting and empathetic (with exception of a few); and so, when they are in need of protection, they may not feel that they can get it. This needs to change. Our Criminal Justice System needs to further research and understand the needs of victims and address it. Serve and

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