Chairperson: Hon. Robert J. Anderson
Coordinator: Lisa Panuska
Phone: (630) 407-8845
Email: Lisa.Panuska@dupageco.org

Mission statement

The purpose of the 18th Judicial Circuit Family Violence Coordinating Council is to establish a forum to: improve the institutional, professional and community response to family violence including child abuse, domestic abuse, and elder abuse; engage in education and prevention; coordinate intervention and services for victims and perpetrators; and contribute to the improvement of the legal system and the administration of justice.

History

In June of 2000, the office of the Chief Judge of the 18th Judicial Circuit facilitated the establishment of the DuPage County Family Violence Coordinating Council. The Council, through its multi-disciplinary approach, works to improve the criminal justice response to family violence and to support improvements in other systems responding to and preventing family violence. The Council is an association of individuals, and representatives of interested legal entities and agencies, that wish to join together in organized and ongoing dialog regarding the problem of family violence in all of its facets.

Basic Council Principles

• The Council seeks to increase and enhance services to victims, children and abusers by collaborating to develop models of change.
• Be inclusive, rather than exclusive. Understand the problem from every perspective, and actively seek information from every discipline involved.
• Seek to achieve a unified response among Council members, but don't ask members to abandon their own perspective simply to achieve a consensus.
• Communicate to all Council members the goals of other members, and keep everyone advised of what others are doing.
• Recognize that public education is a strong tool against family violence. Prevention follows coordination and education.
• Understand it is much easier to prevent family violence that it is to correct the damage it causes.
• Judicial involvement in the Council is dependent upon strict adherence to the Code of Judicial Conduct.
• Do not use any Council activity as a forum to discuss a particular case, as to do so would prohibit any judicial involvement.
• Understand the Council may not propose or lobby for specific legislation, for to do so would prohibit any judicial involvement.
• Do not solicit or accept funds in the name of the Council, as to do so would prohibit any judicial involvement.

Organization