Prosecution Division

Domestic Violence Program – D.V.P

In an effort to reduce the incidence of Domestic Violence crime in the community, our office has instituted a number of programs with the Police Department and area agencies. In addition, Pasadena Police Department now refers EVERY family violence report taken to our office for review and tracking in an effort to curb the violence in our community.

What is Domestic Violence

Domestic violence can occur as a pattern of abusive behavior that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner; and while the vast majority of reported domestic violence matters involve female victims, a male can experience domestic violence as well.

Domestic violence can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. A cycle of violence can develop that may include behaviors that intimidate, manipulate, humiliate, isolate, frighten, terrorize, coerce, threaten, blame, hurt, injure or wound someone.

Domestic violence may occur in more than an intimate partner relationship. It may include parents, children, grandchildren and in-laws.

Critical Planning

Abuse comes in many forms — physical, emotional, sexual and financial. If you are experiencing any form of abuse, or borderline abusive behavior, and feel the situation may lead to immediate violence, it is important that you make plans to protect yourself and your children. The following information can help you develop a safety plan of action.

At Home

• Do not allow yourself to become trapped in rooms with weapons or only one exit.
• Talk with your children about safe places to hide or where to go for help. Consider teaching them a code word to go for help that you can use that signals them to call 911 in situations where an abuser may be present.
• Place important documents (such as birth certificates, custody papers, bank account information, identification/citizenship information, insurance cards, social security cards) in a safe location.
• Pack a bag and keep in a safe and easily accessible place

At Work

• Notify your employer of the situation.
• Provide building security personnel with a photograph of the abuser.
• Request an escort to your car or public transportation.

At Children’s School

• Notify the school of the situation.
• Let School Administration know to whom your children can be released.
• Provide the school with a photograph of the abuser.
• Tell school personnel not to divulge your address or phone number to anyone without your approval.

PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR CHILDREN

CALL FOR HELP…Scream loudly and continuously. You have nothing to be ashamed of…

NO ONE DESERVES TO BE ABUSED!

GET AWAY…When an attack has begun, escape if you can. Whenever you believe that you are in danger, leave the location and take your children, no matter the time of night or day. Go to a safer location such as the house of a relative or friend, or to a public place and call for help.

CALL THE POLICE AS SOON AS YOU CAN… Dial 9-1-1

Explain what is happening or has happened. Tell them where you are. The dispatcher may ask questions. Answer them as clearly as possible. Let the police know whether there are weapons or drugs involved.

It is a crime in all states, though each state’s laws are a little different.
Abuse can include:

• Physical attacks, including forced sexual relations
• Verbal abuse or harassment, including disrespectful or demeaning comments which violate the terms of a valid restraining order
• Threats against you or another family member
• Creating disturbances at your place of work
• Harassing telephone calls
• Spying on you
• Child abuse

Peace Over Violence 24-Hour Hotline
(626) 793-3385

892 N. Fair Oaks Ave Suite D
Pasadena, CA 91103-3046

National Domestic Violence Hotline
1-800-799-7233

(Open 24 hours / 7 Days a Week)

Nuisance Abatement Program – N.A.P

The Nuisance Abatement Team is a multi-agency task force designed to identify and find solutions to neighborhood crime problems.

The Nuisance Abatement Team is designed to address problem property locations within the city in a comprehensive manner. Members of the Team include representatives from the City Prosecutor’s office, Neighborhood Connections, Pasadena Police Department, Code Compliance, the Housing Department and Day One (a nonprofit community based organization). The mission of the team is not only to resolve long-standing problems at particular locations throughout the City but also to educate property owners about crime and decay from their property. This educational component includes outreach to community and trade groups through oral presentations and a more focused 1/2 day, free seminar known as the Landlord Training Program.

The Landlord Training Program provides practical advice and suggestions on how to prevent illegal activity on rental properties. Experienced property managers, housing inspectors, police personnel and attorneys speak to landlords about property preparation, applicant screening, active management, recognition of narcotic and other illegal activity, laws that affect property owners and resources available to them. Additionally, each participant is provided with a comprehensive resource manual and receives a certificate of completion. To date, 88 property owners and managers have completed the Landlord Training Program.

The Nuisance Abatement Team continues to work together in a focused manner on a wide variety of problems ranging from illegal sales of alcohol to minors, narcotic, gang and prostitution activity, illegal gambling and other nuisance-related issues. The goal of the Nuisance Abatement Team is to work together with all available resources and the community to make Pasadena’s neighborhoods safer for all of us.

School Truancy Program

With approximately 200-300,000 children in the County of Los Angeles out of school on a daily basis, many without a valid reason, the City of Pasadena’s Prosecutor’s Office has launched its Truancy Abatement Program. Truancy has been determined to be a major precursor to later delinquency and adult criminality.

Pasadena City Prosecutor’s Truancy Program seeks to do such prevention/intervention by holding accountable those parents of excessively absent elementary school children. These parents are advised that they may be prosecuted by the City Prosecutor for failing to ensure their child’s regular school attendance. This program deals only with primary age school children and seeks to cover but also those children who are just starting to develop truant behavior by excessive absences, which are inappropriately excused by parents.

The goals of the program are: improve school attendance through parental and child accountability, address attendance problems at the earliest possible time before the child’s behavior is ingrained and while the parent still exercises control over the child, and reduce in time delinquency, adult criminality and joblessness.

Problem Property Resolution

The C.R.A.S.H. Team is an inter-departmental task force that addresses problem property locations and finds solutions to neighborhood crime problems. Members of the Team include representatives from the City Prosecutor’s office, Neighborhood Connections, Pasadena Police Department, Code Compliance, the Housing Department and Day One (a nonprofit community based organization). The mission of the team is not only to resolve long-standing problems at particular locations throughout the City but also to educate property owners about crime and decay from their property. This educational component includes outreach to community and trade groups through oral presentations and a more focused 1/2 day, free seminar known as the Landlord Training Program.

The Landlord Training Program provides practical advice and suggestions on how to prevent illegal activity on rental properties. Experienced property managers, housing inspectors, police personnel and attorneys speak to landlords about property preparation, applicant screening, active management, recognition of narcotic and other illegal activity, laws that affect property owners and resources available to them. Additionally, each participant is provided with a comprehensive resource manual and receives a certificate of completion. to date, 88 property owners and managers have completed the Landlord Training Program.

C.R.A.S.H. continues to work together in a focused manner on a wide variety of problems ranging from illegal sales of alcohol to minors, narcotic, gang and prostitution activity, illegal gambling and other nuisance-related issues. The goal of the Nuisance Abatement Team is to work together with all available resources and the community to make Pasadena’s neighborhoods safer for all of us.