Enhancing Safety: When Domestic Violence Cases are in Multiple Legal Systems
(Criminal, family, child protection)
A Family Law, Domestic Violence Perspective

2nd Edition, 2013

Prepared By:
Linda C. Neilson, LL.B., Ph.D. (Law, L.S.E.)
University Research Scholar (2011-2013)
Department of Sociology / Law in Society
University of New Brunswick

Presented to:
Family, Children and Youth Section
Department of Justice Canada

The views expressed in this report are those of the author
and do not necessarily represent the views of
the Department of Justice Canada.

© Linda C. Neilson, LL.B., Ph.D. (Law, L.S.E.), 2013

This publication may be reproduced in part or in whole, and by any means, without charge or further permission from the author, provided that: due diligence is exercised in ensuring the accuracy of the materials reproduced, that the author is identified as the source of the publication, and that the reproduction is not represented as an official version of the original publication.

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, 2013, in the French-language translation.

The French-language version of the publication may be reproduced in part or in whole, and by any means, without charge or further permission from the Department of Justice, provided that due diligence is exercised in ensuring the accuracy of the materials reproduced; that the Department is identified as the source of the publication and that the reproduction is not represented as an official version of the original publication.

Acknowledgments

The Department of Justice would like to acknowledge that this report made a substantial contribution to the analysis contained in Making the Links in Family Violence Cases: Collaboration among the Family, Child Protection and Criminal Justice Systems.

The author gratefully acknowledges the support of the Department of Justice, Canada, particularly Claire Farid, Counsel, Family, Children and Youth Section, Department of Justice, Government of Canada, for her comments on preliminary drafts of this report. Her comments helped to improve this manual's content and organizational structure (errors and omissions belong solely to the author) and Christine Turcotte, Conference Administrator - Adjointe de conférences, Family Law Policy, Family, Children and Youth Section, Department of Justice, Government of Canada, for going above and beyond the call of duty to ensure Department of Justice comments reached me in a timely fashion.

In addition, the author would like to thank the University of New Brunswick for its support in the form of a Research Scholar designation; the Chair of the Sociology Department at the University of New Brunswick, Dr. Nancy Nason-Clark, whose skillful leadership is a blessing to the University's faculty, staff, and students; and last but by no means least, Dr. Anthony L. H. Rhinelander, the author’s husband, for his unending personal and academic support and for his editorial assistance.