| Abstract [eng] |
The basis of this study is the need-driven applied research “Towards the Effective Cooperation Between Police and Other Stakeholders: Model for the Identification, Support and Prevention of Domestic Violence”, which is directed toward the analysis and development of multi-agency cooperation. The research was initiated by the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania as one of the topics, related to research and experimental development programmes, which is of particular interest to the State. The research was funded by a grant (No. S-REP-18-5) from the Research Council of Lithuania. The research was guided by the idea that multi-agency cooperation should be developed by applying an integrated approach to domestic violence. It would be aimed at the common objective of the stakeholders – the coordinated response – by preventing domestic violence, ensuring protection and support to the victims of violence and applying measures changing violent behaviour which can be implemented only by combining the available capacities and understanding peculiarities of mutual functions. Therefore, the aim of this research was to create and propose a model for cooperation of the stakeholders after assessment of mechanisms used for the identification of domestic violence, provision of assistance and the existing practices of the multi-agency cooperation. The research included identification of the key stakeholders, determination of their interrelationships as well as analysis of the existing forms and practices of cooperation. During the research, which was performed from April 2018 to September 2019, the 45 semi-structured interviews and 3 focused group discussions were conducted. The interviews were taken in 8 different districts of Lithuania. The following representatives of the stakeholders, responding to domestic violence and providing the assistance in case of it, have participated in the research: police officers (investigators of pre-trial investigation and patrols), specialists from the Specialised Assistance Centres, employees from the municipal child rights protection units, employees from the municipal social assistance units and representatives from other institutions of social services (budgetary and public bodies (crisis centres)), representatives from non-governmental organisations, coordinators, who were responsible for the municipal multi-agency cooperation, prosecutors, judges and representatives of the probation system. The study consists of seven chapters. The first chapter of the study describes the role of the law enforcement institutions (police officers, prosecutors and judges) participating in prevention of domestic violence. The second chapter analyses the role of the Specialised Assistance Centres. The third chapter focuses on the role of child protection institutions. The fourth chapter discusses the issues arising during the provision of social services to the victims of domestic violence. The fifth chapter scrutinises the role of institutions, implementing the programmes changing violent behaviour (probation services and men’s crisis centres). Meanwhile, the sixth chapter examines issues arising during the multi-agency cooperation process (by providing and describing the schemes and algorithms) and the last chapter provides the conclusions and gives practical recommendations. The performed research allows to draw a conclusion that the stakeholders, working with the cases of domestic violence, often lack the common approach to the violence-related problems. Since the participants of multi-agency cooperation lack understanding of how other subjects, belonging to the network preventing domestic violence and providing assistance, operate, they are not fully aware how the mechanism of the entire system of multi-agency cooperation works. All of this results in the lack of understanding how to solve issues related to the domestic violence in general. Based on the data of the performed research, it can be stated that institutions, working with the cases of domestic violence assess violence-related issues narrowly i.e. within the limits of their institution and its functions. The understanding of specialists about the domestic violence and the needs of people, who were affected by such violence, remains too narrow. The different understanding of violence and the lack of uniform perception of the problem complicate organisation of comprehensive and high-quality assistance to the victims of violence and aggravate prevention of violence. Due to the different approach to the issue of domestic violence, the multi-agency cooperation is not smooth; therefore, it results in the lack of information and feedback. The vast majority of interviewed research participants pointed out to the lack of information that is necessary for determination of operational directions and decision making, as well as limited feedback during the cooperation with other stakeholders. Taking this into account, the cooperation schemes which would allow to intensify the exchange of information and to strengthen maintenance of communications between institutions, were proposed in the research. The performed research allows to presume that the initial level of cooperation, limited to the maintenance of communication and notification of other institutions, is more typical to the cooperation of the stakeholders, working in the network of problems related to domestic violence; however, it does not turn into a teamwork or coordinated response due to the lack of feedback and common approach. Therefore, it cannot be deemed to be a coordinated multi-agency response to domestic violence. In order to achieve a common goal, it is not enough to maintain the multi-agency communication by notifying each other, but still acting on its own. The coordinated and integrated teamwork is necessary by complementing each other, which should be expressed through the common case study and coordinated decision making. |
