Seattle University Collaborative Projects - International Academy of ...

Code, expert opinion evidence assessing risk is required in cases in which a dangerous offenderor long term offender designation is sought by the prosecution. In civil proceedings, the use ofexpert opinion evidence to assess risk is not required by statute although submissions may bemade by counsel on the risk of future harm, based on past misconduct. In civil cases, questionsabout the validity of risk assessment evaluations may limit the admissibility of opinion evidencebased on such evaluations. Mental health professionals who are assessing the risk of harm bothto adults and children in family law cases need to understand the relevant rules on theadmissibility of expert opinion evidence and be aware of the limits on admissibility whenpreparing reports for use in Court.Domestic Violence: Post MortemMary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, British Columbia’s Representative for Children and Youth, Victoria,Canada (maryellen.turpellafond@rcybc.ca)Judge Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond is the Representative for Children and Youth for the Provinceof British Columbia, and an independent Officer of the Legislative Assembly. She is a judge ofthe Provincial Court of Saskatchewan, on leave during her assignment to oversee the childwelfare system and improvement for children and families. Judge Turpel-Lafond will describeher work conducting inquiries into domestic violence homicides with child victims, and theopportunity to build collaborate systems of support for children and families to protect themfrom violence. In particular, she will discuss the development of tools and approaches in thechild welfare, family law, criminal justice, health and education systems to support victims,especially children, exposed to domestic violence.Domestic Violence: Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)Jocelyn Coupal, Crown Counsel, Vancouver, Canada (jocelyn@spotthesigns.ca)This paper will discuss systemic concerns surrounding risk assessment of IPV between Criminaland Civil Courts in Canada. In contrast to Criminal Law proceedings, in Family Lawproceedings there is no requirement that there be any case screening for the presence of riskfactors prior to determining the course a case will take through the Courts. And often, theCriminal Justice System has never been involved with the family so there is no formal record ofa prior history of violence or formal risk assessments. Without a thorough and fully informedability to assess the risk of harm and lethality in a given case, the reality is that Justice Systemparticipants (lawyers, mental health professionals, family court counsellors, etc.) cannot respondeffectively to the needs of families who have experienced violence. The proper administration ofjustice ought to require that all those involved in these cases, (within the context of their roles)ensure that Judges are provided with the information they need so that informed decisions can bemade and the safety of families is the paramount consideration in the decision making process.353