APPENDIX C TO ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER 5-40.1

This program is a three-hour education class that informs participants about the negative effects of domestic violence on the family. It is designed to be a prevention program and is intended for first offenders that involve minor incidents that are by definition domestic violence. This teaching method is primarily didactic.

The program defines domestic violence according to Florida law. The components of the program are as follows:

In most cases domestic violence is a learned behavior and can therefore be unlearned. Domestic violence is not an anger management problem or a marital spat but often a use of power to control another family member.

There are different types of abuse, but abusers have certain characteristics which the class describes.

All individuals in the family need to be safe.

The class explores the rate of injury by family members in an abusive household.

Domestic violence occurs in homes with all levels of income, education, and any racial, religious, or ethnic category.

Peoples perception of the same incident can result in very different descriptions of the same incident.

The Cycle of Violence is explained as is the traumatic effect on children, developmentally and mentally.

The second half of the program focuses on the following contributing factors of domestic violence: jealousy; use of alcohol, drugs, and mood altering substances; belief systems; and ineffective communication.

The second half of the program also focuses on preventive techniques for anger, as well as anger management, stress and stress management.

This programs encourages the students to seek additional help by voluntarily participating in a twelve-week or twenty-six week Domestic Violence Intervention Program, and cautions that marital therapy is not an appropriate treatment intervention in a relationship when there has been domestic violence.