Sign Petition here:
Why this is Important
Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas: Domestic Violence Victims Need Justice Now!
The Shawnee County Commission needs to make the ‘Safety’ of Domestic Violence Victims a ‘priority'and get adequate funding in place for the prosecution of Domestic Violence case's and seek Justice for Victims.
1. Shawnee County Commissioners Cut the District Attorney’s office funding by 10%. (After there was a request for an increase due to the high crime rate).
2. Shawnee County District Attorney as a result of the Budget Cuts was forced to place all Misdemeanors including Domestic Violence charges on the City of Topeka Court.
3. The City of Topeka, did not want to pay to do 'Domestic Violence' cases (Although quite capable)
4. The Topeka City Council, City Manager and Mayor then caused a national outrage by 'Decriminalizing Domestic Violence' and repealing the ban on Domestic Violence within the city limits so that they would not be jurisdiction. http://bit.ly/rgk8TL
5. Thereby forcing the Shawnee County District Attorney to 'review' the Domestic Violence Cases, as a State law.
6. Since the City of Topeka, 'Decriminalized' Domestic Violence, the Shawnee County District Attorney of course is now forced to review these cases. (Although the DA's Office does not have sufficient funding and in fact suffered a 10% budget cut)
7. The Shawnee County Commissioner's still have not provided adequate funding for District Attorney.
8. District Attorney is now forced to lay off 17% of his staff effective December 23, 2011. http://bit.ly/ogHoer
The BOTTOM LINE:
The District Attorney's Office is underfunded, under staffed (unlike the City of Topeka) and still only the most severe crimes will ever make it to trial with most pleading out to avoid cost of trial.
Domestic Violence Cases - will remain completely without consequence to batterers. At best they will be plead out to 1.) disorderly conduct or 2.) destruction of personal property. To get them out of the system quickly so that what remaining resources can be used for higher level crimes of felony.
The City of Topeka has ‘repealed’ the ban on Domestic Violence so victims no longer have the City of Topeka Court as an option to fall back on.
Currently, Domestic Violence Victims now have a better chance of winning the lottery, than having the crimes committed against them ever be prosecuted and Justice still remains denied.
We strongly urge the Shawnee County Commissioners: Shelly Buhler, Ted Ensley and Mary M. Thomas to make ‘Safety’ a priority and act swiftly to provide adequate funding for all crimes, especially the crime of Domestic Violence in Topeka, KS. read more here: http://www.change.org/petitions/shawnee-county-commissioners-adequately-fund-for-prosecution-of-domestic-violence-cases-in-topeka-ks
