By Eleanor Boudreau
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkno/local-wkno-936626.mp3
Memphis, TN – Like everyone else in Memphis, Assistant District Attorney Karen Cook can think of several examples of crime headlines, "The stranger burglaries, the stranger robberies and those kind of things," Cook says.
But a significant portion of violent crime in the city isn't stranger-related at all. In Memphis domestic violence accounts for one out of every five murders, one out of every three aggravated assaults, and two-thirds of all simple assaults; but domestic violence gets relatively little media attention.
"If I'm being abused by my husband, no one is afraid of my husband, just me and maybe my children," Cook said. "So the resources, I think, the general public probably prefers to see it go toward where they won't be a random victim."
Cook heads up the District Attorney's Domestic Violence Prosecution Unit and has seen some big changes. About a year ago Shelby County got a specialized domestic violence court.
"The defendants are beginning to get a clue that they are going to see the same judge every time they get arrested for a domestic violence assault," Cook said.
And Cook's prosecution unit started handling domestic violence cases vertically. Vertical prosecution means one prosecutor sticks with a case from beginning to end; and it's a lot more work. Cook says her unit is like an octopus without enough arms. She has 10 prosecutors to handle 500 new cases every month.
"Never a dull moment," Cook says.
Like any aggressive, hard-nosed prosecutor Cook would like to see harsher punishments. Right now, Cook says, no matter how many times one person beats another to a pulp, "It's still a misdemeanor. Three times, three convictions, it needs to be a felony," she said.
That's something, Cook says, might lower the domestic violence rate; and, the overall crime rate.
"The Memphis Police Department would enjoy that. I would, too--obviously. But, yeah, they're running, they're running crazy out there with DV calls."