Domestic Violence

We believe everyone should feel safe and secure in their own home; however, the most common of all crimes, domestic violence, threatens that safety and security. We in the District Attorney's Office have created the Domestic Violence Prosecution Program to prosecute the offenders because violence in the home is not just a tragedy -- it is also a crime.

The statistics are staggering -- acts of domestic violence occur every fifteen seconds in the United States; about one-half of all couples experience at least one violent incident; domestic violence is the single major cause of injury to women -- more frequent than auto accidents, muggings and rape combined; and many children that witness domestic violence grow up to repeat the pattern as a victim or abuser.

The Domestic Violence Prosecution Program is also designed to specifically address the special needs of victims of domestic violence. Our team of prosecutors, victim assistance coordinators and investigators, as well as battered victims' advocates throughout our community, have the skill and expertise necessary to assist families in terminating the cycle of violence. The mission of the Domestic Violence Program is to ensure that victims of domestic violence are treated with dignity and respect, and to ensure protection of their rights, while at the same time aggressively prosecuting the offenders.

We in the Calcasieu Parish District Attorney's Office are committed to doing our part to eliminate the problem of domestic violence in our community. Currently we have approximately 1,000 pending files. Each month we get anywhere from 100-300 new cases, and any given month we close out anywhere from 50-200 cases.