Section 33. The Massachusetts District Attorneys' Association shall provide training on the issue of domestic violence and sexual violence in the commonwealth, at least once biannually, to all district attorneys and assistant district attorneys. Such training shall include, but not be limited to, the dissemination of information concerning:
(1) misdemeanor and felony offenses in which domestic violence and sexual violence are often involved;
(2) the civil rights and remedies available to victims of domestic violence and sexual violence;
(3) methods for assessing the degree of risk of homicide involved in situations of domestic violence including, but not limited to, gathering information from the victim regarding the suspect's past reported and non-reported behavior and dangerousness, such as: (i) whether the suspect has ever used a weapon against the victim or threatened the victim with a weapon; (ii) whether the suspect owns a gun; (iii) whether the suspect's physical violence against the victim has increased in severity or frequency; (iv) whether the suspect has threatened to kill the victim; (v) whether the suspect has ever threatened or attempted suicide; (vi) whether the suspect has used or threatened physical violence against the victim's family, other household members or pets; (vii) whether the suspect uses illegal drugs; (viii) whether the suspect abuses alcohol; and (ix) whether there have been specific instances of strangulation or suffocation of the victim by the suspect;
(4) law enforcement techniques, information sharing and methods of promoting cooperation among different areas of law enforcement in combating domestic violence and sexual violence, including the importance of keeping victims informed as to the whereabouts of suspected abusers and other such information helpful for victim safety planning;
(5) the physiological and psychological effects of the pattern of domestic violence and sexual violence on its victims, including children who witness such abuse;
(6) the increased vulnerability of victims who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, low-income, minority or immigrant, and including training on ways in which the indicators of dangerousness in these communities may be different from those in non-marginalized communities;
(7) the dynamics of coercive controlling behavior that increases dangerousness even when such patterns of behavior are not themselves violent;
(8) the underlying psychological and sociological causes of domestic violence and sexual violence and the availability of batterer's intervention programs;
(9) the availability of community based domestic violence, rape, and sexual assault shelter and support services within the commonwealth, including, to the extent practicable, specific shelter and support services available in a district attorney's district; and
(10) techniques for increasing cooperation and immediate data sharing among different areas of law enforcement and the court system in combating domestic violence and sexual violence.
The Massachusetts District Attorneys' Association may appoint such expert, clerical and other staff members as the operation of the training program may require. As appropriate, the training presenters shall include domestic violence and sexual violence experts with expertise in the delivery of direct services to victims of domestic violence and sexual violence, including utilizing community based domestic violence, rape and sexual assault service providers and survivors of domestic violence, rape or sexual assault in the presentation of the training.
Structure Massachusetts General Laws
Part I - Administration of the Government
Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth
Chapter 12 - Department of the Attorney General, and the District Attorneys
Section 2 - Assistants and Employees; Appointment; Duties; Compensation; Tenure; Vacancies
Section 2a - Attorney General; Disability; Filling Vacancies
Section 2b - Annual Personnel Report
Section 3e - Defense of Actions Against Officers or Employees
Section 4 - Claims of Commonwealth; Enforcement
Section 4a - Acceptance of Gifts or Grants of Money or Property
Section 5 - Civil Actions to Recover Money for Commonwealth
Section 5a - False Claims; Definitions Applicable to Secs. 5a to 5o
Section 5b - False Claims; Liability
Section 5d - Prosecution by Attorney General; Relator's Right to Continue as Party to Action
Section 5e - Alternate Remedies Available to Determine Civil Penalty
Section 5f - Payments to Relators; Limitations
Section 5h - Money Recovered by Commonwealth; False Claims Prosecution Fund
Section 5j - Employers Preventing Employees From Acting to Further False Claim Actions; Liability
Section 5l - Preponderance of the Evidence Standard
Section 5m - Rules, Regulations or Guidelines; Attorney General
Section 5n - Civil Investigative Demands; Attorney General
Section 5o - Agency Reporting Requirements
Section 6 - Consultation With and Giving of Advice and Assistance to District Attorneys
Section 6a - Conferences of District Attorneys and Other Officials; Notification as to New Laws
Section 7 - Persons Intruding on Land, Property or Rights of Commonwealth; Prosecution
Section 8 - Due Application of Charity Funds Enforced
Section 8a - Definitions Applicable to Secs. 8a to 8m
Section 8b - Division of Public Charities; Duties
Section 8c - Director of Public Charities; Designation
Section 8d - Employees; Appointment and Removal
Section 8f - Annual Reports of Public Charities; Financial Statements; Fees; Penalties; Enforcement
Section 8g - Attorney General as a Party; Service
Section 8h - Investigations by Attorney General
Section 8i - Compliance With Investigations; Enforcement; Penalties
Section 8j - Rules and Regulations
Section 8k - Gift for Public Charitable Purpose; Presumed Intention
Section 8m - Public Records; Inspection
Section 8n - Fees, Costs, Penalties and Other Monies; General Fund
Section 9 - Advice and Aid to General Court and Committees
Section 11 - Annual Report of Cases Handled
Section 11a - Division of Civil Rights and Liberties
Section 11b - Board of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws; Obscene Literature Commission
Section 11c - Narcotic and Harmful Drugs; Training Program for Law Enforcement Officers
Section 11d - Division of Environmental Protection
Section 11g - Local Consumer Aid Fund; Eligibility for Assistance
Section 11k - Division of Victim Compensation and Assistance
Section 11m - Division of Gaming Enforcement
Section 12 - District Attorneys; Qualifications; Election; Term; Appearances
Section 13 - Districts for Administration of Criminal Law or Defense of Civil Actions
Section 15 - Practice of Law Prohibited; Salary
Section 16 - Salaries of Assistant District Attorneys
Section 18 - Appointment of an Assistant to District Attorney; Compensation
Section 19 - Suffolk District; Appointment of Messengers and Other Employees
Section 20 - Additional Legal Assistants; Tenure; Compensation; Powers
Section 21 - Suffolk District; Police and Detective Service
Section 22 - Clerical and Stenographic Workers
Section 23 - Payment for Traveling Expenses; Exceptions
Section 24 - Expenses Payable by Commonwealth
Section 25 - Advanced Expenses; Conditions; Vouchers
Section 26 - Court Appointment of Substitute in Absence of Attorney General and District Attorney
Section 27 - District Attorneys; Duties; Control of Attorney General
Section 28 - Suits on Recognizances; Discontinuance
Section 29 - Accounting for Fees, Bills of Costs and Money Received
Section 30 - Fees for Services in Performance of Duty; Appearance in Civil Action
Section 32 - Community Based Juvenile Justice Programs; District Attorneys