BATON ROUGE (WBRZ) - District Attorney Hillar Moore's office released its 2016 Domestic Violence Report Thursday morning.
The District Attorney’s overall caseload involving domestic violence decreased in 2016 compared to previous years, the report says. This decline could possibly be attributed to community efforts like BRAVE and FYSC and the coordination with the Baton Rouge City Court.
Approximately 1400 misdemeanor domestic abuse battery cases were prosecuted in 2016. Of those cases, 543 plead guilty, 503 were dismissed after intervention or mental health counseling, and 289 were not billed.
Domestic abuse battery can be considered a felony if involved strangulation, burning, or enhanced due to the number of convictions. Domestic abuse aggravated assault is a felony. Moore’s office notes that other crimes including murder and cyberstalking could also be considered “domestic violence” depending on the relationship of the offender with the victim.
Moore’s office notes that there were five significant felony trials in 2016. There were also two domestic violence-involved murders.
“Domestic violence is an extremely traumatizing experience, and the emotional scars associated with abuse often outlast the physical impact,” the report says.