Seattle creates alternative program for domestic violence misdemeanors Dec 17, 2020
In recent years, Washington state courts have started rethinking their approach to domestic violence cases.
In Seattle, the municipal court is piloting an alternative to criminal prosecution. It provides more customized treatment for perpetrators, and incorporates the input of their victims.
Prosecutors at the Seattle City Attorney s Office say they plan to refer most offenders facing domestic violence misdemeanors to a domestic violence intervention program, which allows them to avoid a criminal record if they complete the program and do not reoffend.
One of the first participants was arrested in 2018 after neighbors called Seattle police to report an argument between a young couple in their apartment. The man, who KUOW is identifying by the initial M., agreed to speak on condition that his name not be used.