The Importance of Communication

Rachel Snyder argues that communication is the single most important factor in reducing domestic violence homicides and supporting victims. Her years of research have indicated that abusers are most often able to get away with crimes when police officers, advocates, prosecutors, and judges lack the necessary information to press charges or detain him. In the words of domestic violence advocate Kelly Dunne: “It’s in the cracks that murders happen” (221). Reducing domestic violence homicides demands improvements in communication across bureaucracies, jurisdictions, departments, and people. For example, when an abuser moves to a different state, there needs to be communication between law enforcement officers in his new place of residence and his old one so that the police know whether or not he has a history of abuse or convictions.

Snyder provides several examples of tools that can help improve communication between various departments. One example...