The Justice Digest
Issue II, October 2020
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A Message from
Commonwealth's Attorney
Parisa Dehghani-Tafti
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This month’s newsletter is dedicated to the work we are doing together, as a community, to lift each other up and ensure our collective practices match our values of equity, justice, and public safety.
In Arlington County, we’re engaging with a variety of community stakeholders to improve police practices and policies through the Police Practices Group, and to implement effective restorative justice practices through Restorative Arlington’s working groups. In both Arlington County and the City of Falls Church, we are committed to ensuring prosecutorial policies meet our safety needs through the newly announced Community Advisory Board for the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney. We’re looking forward to working with these groups to better integrate community feedback into our working systems.
In dedicating this newsletter to the ongoing work in our community, I want to give special recognition to a number of local and regional partners in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. This month, we recognize and thank our outstanding partners at Project PEACE, Doorways, JCADA, Domestic Violence Program (DVP), Domestic & Sexual Violence Services (DSVS), Safe Space NOVA, Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter (LAWS), and the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance. Together, these organizations, the community, and the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney are amplifying survivors’ voices and working to reduce and eliminate intimate partner violence.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has brought with it challenges and uncertainty, our work to be responsive, fair, and justice-oriented continues full speed ahead. I remain in awe of our community’s resilience and know that we will emerge better and stronger.
Parisa Dehghani-Tafti
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Throughout October we’re raising awareness to prevent domestic and intimate partner violence.
What is Domestic Violence?
- Domestic violence, or intimate partner violence, describes physical violence, sexual violence, stalking, or psychological harm by a current or former partner or spouse.
- Domestic violence affects all people regardless of age, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, gender, race, religion, or nationality.
- According to the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, 31.3 percent of Virginia women and 22.1 percent of Virginia men experience intimate partner violence, rape, and/or stalking in their lifetimes.
This year, we recognize that COVID-19 has had a profound impact on the lives of survivors as they face increased incidents of intimate partner violence while many remain isolated at home with their abusers. Now more than ever, we remind our community that we are here to provide support and services for those in need.
If you, or someone you know, has experienced intimate
partner or sexual violence, you are not alone.
We are here to help.
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Doorways: (703) 237-0881 – 24hr Hotline, Safe Shelter, Counseling
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Arlington County Police Department: 911 – Emergency Response
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Victim/Witness Program: (703) 228-4410 – Legal and Court Services
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Inova FACT: (703) 776-4001 – Forensic and Medical Exams for IPV
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Child and Family Services: (703) 228-1560 – Mental Health and CPS Services
We’re taking action and raising awareness by partnering with Project PEACE and other local and regional agencies to #PowerUpNOVA! Together we can reduce and eliminate intimate partner violence.
Learn how you can do your part and join the #PowerUpNOVA initiative:
- Throughout the month of October, free virtual workshops will be available courtesy of Arlington’s Project PEACE, Doorways, and other local and regional partners. Find more information and resources via this webpage.
- Project PEACE will be collecting items to distribute client care bags. If you or your agency are interested in contributing to this effort please sign up here or contact Ashley Blowe at ablowe@arlingtonva.us.
- On Thursday, October 22, we will be wearing purple for Purple Thursday, a national day of action to raise awareness and show support for survivors. Join us and share your Purple Thursday posts with us on social media by adding the hashtags #PowerUpNOVA and #PurpleOutNOVA!
Rock your purple gear and share it with us on social media by
adding the hashtags #PowerUpNOVA and #PurpleOutNOVA.
Join the Community Advisory Board
Community is at the center of all we do here at the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney. To create a lasting dialogue that considers our community’s diverse experiences and allows our office to meet our community’s specific public safety needs, we’re creating the Community Advisory Board.
The Community Advisory Board (CAB) will consist of 7-10 members who will serve as community liaisons to the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney (OCA). Members of the CAB will meet with the OCA to provide input on criminal justice reform and public safety, analyze policy for equity impact, and keep the community informed of the office’s goals and objectives. Members must be residents of Arlington County or the City of Falls Church and are expected to attend quarterly meetings with representatives of the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney.
All applications must be submitted by Wednesday, October 21 at 9 am. If you have questions or need more information about the Community Advisory Board, please email us at cwa_info@arlingtonva.us.
***Please note that the submission of an application does not guarantee membership
on the Community Advisory Board and that applications may be subject to FOIA.***
Police Practices Group
Following recent policing incidents and our nation’s ongoing discussion about systemic racism in the criminal legal system, Arlington County has taken an important step to ensure fair and effective policing practices to continue building trust within our community.
The Police Practices Group (PPG) is reviewing six key policies and practices: use of force, training and supervision, body-worn and vehicle dash cameras, recruitment and retention practices, internal affairs, and data use and practices. The PPG is expected to report to County Manager Mark Schwartz in December 2020.
The PPG’s report will inform the County Manager’s approach as he hires a new police chief following Chief Jay Farr’s retirement, and will provide recommendations and improvements to be brought forth to the County Board.
All are welcome to attend the PPG’s virtual community learning series. Upcoming events include:
If you would like to provide feedback on police practices and policies to the PPG, please click here to do so before November 1.
The Strategic Plan for Restorative Justice
In December 2019, Arlington County contracted Liane Rozzell on a one-year employee loan from the Annie E. Casey foundation to draft the strategic plan for restorative justice in Arlington County. Through the Restorative Arlington initiative, Arlington County has reinforced its commitment to our community, equity, and restorative practices.
What is restorative justice?
- Rooted in ancient indigenous practices, restorative justice brings together all those who have been affected by a situation to collaborate and find solutions when someone has caused harm.
- Restorative practices can be implemented in schools, justice systems, workplaces, and community- and faith-based organizations to meet people’s needs for healing and resolution.
Restorative Arlington has been working to educate the public about the importance of restorative practices; engage the community through working groups and committees to determine the best restorative practices suited for Arlington County; develop key partnerships both in and out of Arlington County, such as the partnerships developed with Restorative Response Baltimore and George Mason University’s Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution; and, most importantly, to forge the path to make Restorative Arlington a reality through a comprehensive and strategic planning process.
The heart of the restorative approach lies in recognizing the humanity and dignity of all beings. Restorative justice recognizes that when harm has been inflicted upon an individual, incarcerating the offender neither guarantees the offender will acknowledge and heal the harm they’ve caused, nor does it guarantee closure or healing for the harmed party. The central priority of restorative justice is to meet the needs of harmed parties and promote accountability for the parties who have done harm.
By the end of this year, Liane is set to propose a cross-agency plan to implement the best restorative practices available to Arlington County. In developing this plan, Liane has engaged the public through the creation of three working groups – for legal systems, schools, and community – which have involved over 45 members of the community. Community feedback has informed the planning process of Restorative Arlington’s working groups, ensuring that the action plan meets the unique needs of our community.
If you would like to learn more about the details of restorative justice, its benefits, and its application in schools, the legal system, and community settings in Arlington, please watch this video featuring Restorative Justice practitioners and scholars, Thalia Gonzalez and Carl Stauffer.
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Employee Spotlight:
Autumn Jones
Director of the Victim/Witness Program
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Autumn has worked in the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney since May 2004, beginning work just a week after her college graduation. Since 2004, Autumn has held every position in the Victim/Witness Program from program assistant, to victim specialist, to becoming the program’s director in 2013.
- What is your role within the Victim/Witness Program?
My role is part advocacy, part management. In addition to handling my own cases, I manage a staff of seven. My responsibilities are to respond to my assigned cases, where I work with victims to inform them of their rights and the resources available to them in addition to serving as their advocate through the legal process; assign cases to our staff; provide training for our staff; troubleshoot any issues our staff is dealing with; manage our Victims of Crimes Act (VOCA) grant which, in addition to county funds, supports our program; manage outreach in the community and partner with local agencies such as Project PEACE; and sit on the Governor’s task force for sexual and domestic violence where we make recommendations on grants, training, and anything related to sexual and domestic violence.
- What is the biggest misconception people have about your job?
There can be a lot of confusion surrounding the Victim/Witness program. We’re not the Witness Protection Program and we’re not counselors. Our job is to inform victims of their rights and the resources available to them, advocate for victims throughout legal proceedings and, ultimately, we’re here to facilitate prosecution.
We’re informed of dispositions and sentencing guidelines, and we’re responsible for breaking down the details of the legal process for victims so they understand what can happen when they go to court. We’re responsible for advocating on behalf of the victim and this can mean having to have challenging conversations with the prosecutor.
In addition to being able to explain the ins and outs of the criminal legal process, our job requires us to have keen people skills. To effectively advocate for our victims, we must be able to build rapport and read people well. We often work with victims who, due to a variety of cultural norms, don’t have the same level of comfort and therefore don’t share the same details with prosecutors and law enforcement as they would with their victim advocate. It’s important that we recognize when this happens so we’re able to follow up on these conversations and ensure that the victim feels their voice was heard.
- What do you enjoy most about your role?
I enjoy working with the women I have the pleasure of working with. I have a great staff and they are the backbone of the Victim/Witness Program. While I serve as the leader and face of our unit, they’re the ones who make all the work we do possible. They’re all so passionate about their job and don’t treat it like it’s any other 9-5. I especially enjoy being able to witness their professional growth. I want them all to have access to big projects, to have exposure to big cases, to testify in favor of victim rights legislation, and so much more. When they grow and hit their marks, they enjoy their job and as a result, I have fun doing mine.
- As a victim advocate, you’re often meeting people on the worst day of their life. This can be very emotionally demanding work. Do you have any stories that you've found hard to shake off at the end of the day?
A few years ago, I handled a case involving a mother and daughter who were visiting from out of the country. They were robbed in their hotel and one of the women was sexually assaulted. The case was eventually overturned, and we had to bring it back for retrial. It was hard to bring them back because the mother had health issues. Ultimately, however, defense entered a guilty plea and the case was resolved. This case was particularly difficult for me because the mother reminded me of my grandmother.
We hear a lot of cases like this one and we have to learn to shake it off. This job can be extremely emotionally draining. After preliminary hearings or trial, it can be difficult to return to the office and switch gears to the next case. Being on our A-game is important, so self-care is a must. I always remind our staff to take care of themselves.
- Do you have a recent case success story?
I handled a domestic assault and battery case that was recently finalized in June. I deem this case a success because while it didn’t result in the outcome the victim wanted; the victim was able to open important channels of communication with her family.
I received this case in the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak. Throughout the leadup to the trial I had various conversations with the victim to make sure she understood her rights, understood the COVID-related delays, and I walked her through the process of filing a protective order in another jurisdiction. When the case moved forward, the accused was ultimately found not guilty.
While this was not the outcome the victim was hoping for, it was a success because it opened communication between her and her children. They felt more comfortable expressing their own experiences with her and she built the strength to address this situation. I commended her on being a great mother and showing her children what is and isn’t acceptable behavior.
- Congratulations on your engagement and recent wedding! What are you most looking forward to in this new stage of life with your husband Josh?
Josh and I met in middle school, and we used to trade VHS tapes. Throughout quarantine we’ve been reliving some of those memories by re-watching some of the old Kung Fu movies we watched back then. So, moving forward I’m excited to see how different from being married is from all these memories we’ve already created.
I’m looking forward to communicating through life together and accomplishing things as a married couple. I’m also really looking forward to having kids because I really want to be a mother.
OCA in the Community
Looking Ahead: November 2020
A Look into the Work of Our JDR Team
Special Legislative Session Update
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