Copyright © 2006 NLThomas
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News from the Cherokee Nation, OK
Copyright © 2006 CNO
TAHLEQUAH, OKLAHOMA – The Cherokee Nation Marshal Service Domestic Violence Prevention Program is taking innovative steps to help in its mission of preventing domestic violence, thanks to new laws passed by the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council last year.
Cherokee Nation Marshal Sergeant Danny Doolin of the Domestic Violence Prevention Task Force, is helping to take innovative steps to help in the prevention of domestic violence, including offering CLEET-accredited training. 
In 2005, the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council passed a law which requires domestic violence offenders get specialized behavior-changing counseling and implemented a new internal Nonviolence Policy which alerts law enforcement officers to potential risk situations, for heightened readiness ability.
According to Prevention Program Coordinator Cathy Leston, one part of the solution to domestic violence is to help the perpetrator get needed training in life skills, such as financial management counseling.
“If a family is having a dispute over money, for example, financial management training could be offered to help remedy the situation,” Leston said.
The new internal Nonviolence Policy alerts law enforcement officers to potential risk situations, for heightened readiness ability, which was implemented to keep the workplace safe from domestic violence that was occurring in an employee’s home. In addition, businesses which are under Cherokee law now allow excused absences for domestic violence victims who have to go to court.
“We found that domestic violence was a recurring cycle in part because the victim couldn’t miss work to follow through with the court process. This is the only corporate responsibility law in the country which addresses this aspect of domestic violence,” Leston said.
According to Cherokee Nation Marshal Sergeant Danny Doolin, the Domestic Violence Prevention Task Force is also working to end the cycle of violence overall. This, he said, would also include stalking laws and cyber-crimes.
Leston said the group was using case experience to find ways to improve the chances of ending the cycle of violence.
“It is like a learning lab. The Council has been willing to go a step further than other jurisdictions. We’ve been able to excel because of that,” she said.
The Cherokee Nation Marshal’s will be offering a second year of CLEET-accredited Domestic Violence Training. For more information on the training, contact Sergeant Danny Doolin, phone: 918-207-3800.
| Related Cherokee Nation contact information: |
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Mike Miller, Cherokee Nation Director of Communications Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2210) Fax: 918-458-5580 E-mail: Communications@cherokee.org
Larry Daugherty, Advertising Manager |
Steven Swogger, Agriculture Liaison Natural Resources Department Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2546) FAX: 918-458-7673 E-mail: sswogger@cherokee.org
Bradley D. Peak, Cherokee Nation |