Offender standards subcommittee names new co-chair, advances guidance for treatment verification in family violence cases

The Offender Standards Subcommittee on Wednesday appointed Merit LaJoy as co-chair and advanced two recommendations to the larger council dealing with how defendant treatment is verified in family violence matters.

Joe Gituno, director of family services for the Connecticut Judicial Branch, proposed LaJoy, the complaint officer for the Office of the Victim Advocate, to replace Shauna Harrington as co-chair. The committee seconded the nomination and approved it by voice vote; no opposition was recorded.

The panel's primary substantive work during the meeting reviewed two items the subcommittee had forwarded to the larger council. The first recommends a standardized, non‑judicial cover sheet and guidance that defendants and treatment providers would complete to document participation in programs that may be considered in prosecutors' disposition decisions for family violence cases. Gituno and LaJoy said they drafted a cover sheet and a short package that highlights three core elements drawn from the offender standards so prosecutors can determine whether a provider’s program aligns with expected interventions.

Gail Hardy, the…