Island's 'abuse model' a success

Next Thursday (3 December 2009), is the final session of the Freedom Programme, run by former RAF intelligence analyst Fiona Gwinnett. In a nondescript social services building in the town of Newport, Isle of Wight, up to 19 women have been sitting beside each other for two-hour sessions over the past 12 weeks. They have both laughed and cried while sharing their experiences at the hands of their abusive partners.

Many of them will have been referred there by Hampshire Constabulary's domestic abuse officers in the force's public protection unit. Freedom's statistics suggest the approach is working - 260 women attended the programme in 2008. The figures have risen this year - 167 abused women were on the scheme in the first six months.

The increase shows more cases of abuse are being identified meaning more victims can be helped. Instead of attending "domestic incidents" just to keep the peace, police officers are reporting cases to the force public protection unit.

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Florida's Silver Alert Plan

Governor Charlie Crist today recognized the one-year anniversary of Florida’s Silver Alert Plan in October and praised its success in helping return 18 missing elderly persons back home safely. “I’m pleased and proud of the way this program has worked as a safety net for some of our most vulnerable citizens,” said Governor Crist. “I thank our citizens for paying attention to the Silver Alerts, and for doing their part to call in the information law enforcement needs to safely locate these seniors.”

Florida’s Silver Alert Plan was made effective by an Executive Order signed by the Governor on October 8, 2008, and is a standardized system to aid local law enforcement in the rescue of an elderly person with a cognitive impairment who goes missing. The plan calls for the broadcast of important information via the media and highway message signs (in cases involving a vehicle) to enlist citizens in the search for an endangered senior. To date, 115 Silver Alerts have been issued – 110 individuals were located safely, with 18 of those recoveries attributed directly to the Silver Alert.

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