Home
Issues
Biography
In the News
Photos
 



 

 
State steps up monitoring of sex offenders
Tackett warns county's 127 sex offenders
39 sex offenders live too close to kids
County posts sex offender map on web
Cole County PA to seek central statewide sex offender list
Eye on sexual offenders
Tackett ready to prosecute sex offenders who missed deadline
Only 1 sex offender hasn't moved away from schools
Principals briefed on protecting kids from sex offenders

 
 



 

 
County PA forms panel to mulls teen alcohol policies
Convenience stores to lose liquor licenses for 3-5 days

Liquor board closes doors to deliberate punishment for violators
Tackett, White lobby for expansion of teenage drinking deterrent bill
Prosecutors, Sheriff to field questions
Prosecutors, sheriff tackle underage drinking issues at forum
Parent, child to be involved in legal process
Self-defense, underage drinking key topics at forum in Taos
New state law means lower threshold for prosecuting teens for 'minor in possession'
Small group at JCHS for talk on teens, booze
Students at Russellville get straight talk on drugs from ex-user and officials
 
 



 

 
  New victims' advocate starts work for Cole County
 

Bill Tackett on domestic violence:

Often we rely on statistics as a measure of success or failure. However, statistics can be used to prove or disprove the same proposition, depending on the point of view someone may advocate.

With domestic violence, statistics cannot accurately capture success or failure in prosecution.  As any well – seasoned domestic violence victim advocate will tell you, success occurs only after the “cycle of violence” is broken. A victim may be abused repeatedly before the cycle is broken. These repeated attacks may occur where the victim refuses to assist in prosecution and there is, therefore, insufficient evidence on which to base a conviction.

Over a seventeen-year period, the prosecutor's office has had tried two approaches where the abused woman has refused to testify and where there is not sufficient evidence to support a criminal charge:

  • Do not file charges unless the witness will testify.

  • Do file all charges, but later dismiss them when the witness does not testify.

Depending on which one of these approaches is utilized, the statistics will vary; but the result is the same: no conviction. The cycle of violence continues!

Obviously, where there is sufficient evidence to bring charges without the victim's testimony, our office has always filed criminal charges.

As both a prosecutor and a member of the Rape and Abuse Crisis Service (RACS) Board for 13 years, I helped raise funds to build a new shelter, fought for tougher laws to combat domestic violence and I co-founded the RACS Foundation while serving as the RACS board president. This cause is one about which I care deeply and which affects what I do every day as your prosecutor.

Successful prosecution requires thorough investigations and witnesses willing to cooperate in obtaining a conviction. We make every effort to make this happen. Our office assists women on a daily basis who are applying for ex parte orders from the court and we are constantly providing community resource information to the hands of victims of abuse.

We work every day to create an environment when victims stay with us throughout the criminal process, giving us the best opportunity to convict abusers and prevent future abuse.  Our track record supports the validity of our efforts, and we will continue to use every tool available in eradicating domestic violence.
 

 
 

This page last updated 13 January 2015