More Anacortes residents charged with domestic violence crimes will be able to get help thanks to a three-year $15,625 grant.

The grant, part of a federal stimulus package for justice programs, will help offenders pay the roughly $750 charge for a six-month treatment program. The grant starts July 1.

“Domestic violence is one of the crimes we’ve identified here. We tend to have a higher rate of domestic violence than other cities in the county,” said Anacortes Police Chief Bonnie Bowers.

The Anacortes Police Department is committed to reducing domestic violence, Bowers said in a memo to the City Council.

“Perpetrators in the Anacortes community are seldom held accountable for their actions and rarely receive batterer treatment that might end the cycle of domestic violence in their families,” she said.

From 2004-2007 Anacortes officers referred 455 domestic violence offenses to the municipal court.

Of those, 130 resulted in guilty pleas, 284 were dismissed and 24 were amended to non-domestic violence offenses. Eleven offenders were ordered to take a domestic violence offender evaluation, one was ordered to take a mental health evaluation and 74 offenders had no type of evaluation. As of the June 15 report, 18 offenders had warrants for their arrest.

“There are few public funds available for offender treatment. Often, lack of funds is cited as an impediment for batterers to receive treatment,” Bowers said.

That’s where the grant steps in.

Anacortes police will work with Skagit County Domestic Violence Services, the city, the city’s prosecuting attorney and municipal court to help more offenders get treatment programs.

It includes an initial screening, six months of individual and group sessions and an exit report. The average cost is $750. The department will use the grant money to pay up to 90 percent of the cost of treatment for offenders who meet the criteria, which is the same used in municipal court to determine if someone is eligible for a public defender.

Prosecution can be deferred in some cases until the offender completes the program.

“We know prosecution isn’t always the answer in all cases. We want to solve the problem,” Bowers said. “Long term it could change the amount of domestic calls (officers go on).”

Domestic violence calls are one of the most frequent for the department.

A 2007 study by the Skagit County District Court probation found those who were treated were 50 percent less likely to re-offend, she told the council. Other research backs up the success of intervention and treatment programs.

“It makes victims feel safer and it makes them safer and it makes perpetrators accountable,” Bowers said.

Yearly reviews will measure the program’s effectiveness here. Depending on the success and additional funding opportunities, she said the program could continue beyond the three-year grant.

By the numbers

Domestic violence offenses referred by law enforcement to municipal and district courts from 2004 through 2007:

Anacortes — 455 (130 resulted in guilty pleas, 284 were dismissed, 24 amended to non-domestic violence offenses)
Burlington — 493 (222 guilty pleas, 140 dismissed, 86 amended)
Mount Vernon — 1,380 (626 guilty pleas, 388 dismissed, 207 amended)
Sedro-Woolley — 678 (201 guilty pleas, 347 dismissed, 95 amended)
Skagit County — 1,100 (475 guilty pleas, 491 dismissed, 157 amended)

Treatment breakdown:
Anacortes — 11 domestic violence offender evaluation, 1 mental health evaluation, 74 no evaluation
Burlington — 73 domestic violence offender, 11 chemical dependency, 73 no evaluation
Mount Vernon — 300 domestic violence offender, 35 chemical dependency, 5 mental health, 219 no evaluation
Sedro-Woolley — 22 domestic violence offender, 18 chemical dependency, 132 no evaluation
Skagit County — 215 domestic violence offender, 65 chemical dependency, 17 mental health, 172 no evaluation