Surviving Times of Austerity: Preserving the Specialist Domestic Violence Court Provision

Specialist Domestic Violence Courts (SDVCs) in England and Wales were set up for creating a more victim-centred approach within the criminal justice system and increasing the number of prosecutions for domestic violence-related offending. However, since 2010, the number of court houses has declined, and this chapter highlights the rationale for ensuring that SDVC provision survives further budgetary cuts. Comparisons are made with the development and progress of specialist Domestic Abuse Courts in Scotland. Vanessa Bettinson explores the significance and impact of good working relationships between the police, prosecution authorities and the independent victim’s advocate within the court arena. With the rise of police diversions, an argument is also made for increasing the role of SDVCs as overseers of police cautions and out-of-court disposals.