Poll: Do restraining orders help protect victims of domestic violence?

SpaceCritter

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About halfway down, on the right:
http://www.rep-am.com/

Also, see the followup to the shooting story:
http://www.rep-am.com/news/local/802823.txt

Sadly, the money is behind the paywall (and almost at the very end of the article):
In fact, Lori Gellatly was the sixth domestic violence-related death in the state since Jan. 1, Jarmoc said. Of the five others, only one involved a firearm. Three were stabbed and one was strangled.
 
Voted: Not at all
The restrining order is not the piece of paper that prevents violence! It's the potential victim's LTC that prevents continued violence!
 
At their best they provide a blinking light to the legal system that can help focus attention on an actual threat.

At their worst, they can be acts of profound injustice that destroy the lives of an innocent person because they can be abused.

The problem is that it is a little like asking if pandemics can be good for an economy. They can, but what is the cost?

The reality is that at any given moment in time, they provide little to no protection. A firearm and some self-defense training would be much, much more useful, even if never fully deployed.
 
It may stop some people who care about the law and worry about being arrested. Many people don't though, so it means nothing towards them.

This is the case with all laws trying to stop violence. Some will say "Oh I can't kill because I'll go to jail" and others say "Screw the law, I'll do what I want."
 
Do restraining orders help protect victims of domestic violence?
In most cases
(17 Votes, 8%)
Sometimes
(66 Votes, 33%)
Not at all
(119 Votes, 59%)


I voted no. The fact that there is an RO won't stop anyone; at best it will make them think of the concequences.
 
No. Domestic Violence is already against the law. Someone who is willing to break that law isn't going to care about a piece of paper telling them not to do it. At best it shines some light on the alleged assailant and possibly gives the victim a better legal defense if they need to defend themself against said assailant.
 
Regardless of views on the issues, a Poll about a factual matter doesn't really make sense. While one might believe the Retaining Order does or doesn't help, data would prove the point.

That said, the gun control advocates would publish biased studies and the studies from the pro-gun advocates wouldn't get published at all.

So yeah, opinion about what facts are true rule the day. If you don't think 2+2=5, maybe we can compromise at 2+2=4-1/2...
 
Keep in mind that if someone files a RO, there does not need to be any proof of any kind to back up the accusation, for a judge to uphold it.
The fear may be a real, or made up...it doesn't seem to matter, at least in Massachusetts.


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" what this really points out is, the police and courts are completely incapable of protecting anyone. ultimately, we are responsible for protecting ourselves. a much happier ending to this story would have been under the headline: "woman shoots estranged husband as he defies restraining order". "

One of the comments!
 
No it doesn't. I had a RO against someone years ago and he violated it to the point of breaking my door down and attacking me (again). He ran before the police showed up and as they stated "they're only good if you catch them". Karma did come around though because he was killed a week later after driving into the back of a garbage truck.
 
Now THAT'S Karma!! Garbage killed by garbage truck! Glad to heer you were ok!

No it doesn't. I had a RO against someone years ago and he violated it to the point of breaking my door down and attacking me (again). He ran before the police showed up and as they stated "they're only good if you catch them". Karma did come around though because he was killed a week later after driving into the back of a garbage truck.
 
No it doesn't. I had a RO against someone years ago and he violated it to the point of breaking my door down and attacking me (again). He ran before the police showed up and as they stated "they're only good if you catch them". Karma did come around though because he was killed a week later after driving into the back of a garbage truck.
I feel bad for the garbage truck...
 
The issue with them, to me, is the ease at which it can be used to **** someone over that hasn't done anything wrong. Date the wrong person and blammo, restraining order because they're mad and bye bye guns. That's what's total bullshit.
 
No it doesn't. I had a RO against someone years ago and he violated it to the point of breaking my door down and attacking me (again). He ran before the police showed up and as they stated "they're only good if you catch them". Karma did come around though because he was killed a week later after driving into the back of a garbage truck.

As good an outcome as there can be, given the circumstances.
 
Do restraining orders help protect victims of domestic violence?

In most cases (27 Votes, 9%)
Sometimes (86 Votes, 29%)
Not at all (180 Votes, 61%)
 
Pieces of paper with words on it can't protect people. Unless you're using it to kill disease-carrying mosquitoes.

Just like pieces of paper with clever looking scroll work aren't money.
 
A RO does not guarentee protection, it only works when the restricted person isn't an a'**hole. The police are not legally required to protect the person filling the RO, this I believe was litigated in court.

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At it's most basic, it is an official court document that warns the other party against committing a certain action, it specifies what that action is and any penalties associated with committing it.

Depending on those penalties and the person it can be preventative.

When they are abused is when they are used as punishment, by one party against another.

If you are violating a restraining order against you, then you're a dumbass. And if you're involved with crazy people who would take a restraining order out on you, a normal person, then you're also a poor judge of character.
 
The only thing an RO is good for is as evidence at your trial after you kill the person. Other than that it's useless and everyone knows it.
 
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