Knox County Leadership Initiates A Domestic Abuse Death Review Team During National Domestic Violence Awareness Month

As part of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Knox County Commission approved District Attorney General Charme Allen and Mayor Glenn Jacobs’ resolution to form the Knox County Domestic Abuse Death Review Team. 

The interagency death review team will identify and review domestic abuse deaths, including homicides and suicides, and facilitate communication between agencies involved in domestic abuse cases. This type of review will help support our community’s efforts to identify and formulate strategies to prevent domestic abuse. 

The DADRT model permits the review of sensitive records by subject matter experts, who may otherwise not have access to the information, to have additional context and insight relevant to their work. The review team will comply with confidentiality guidelines established by Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-3-624.

District Attorney General Charme Allen will appoint members to the review team with the approval of Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs. The review team will be comprised of, but not limited to, agency members who come in contact with victims of domestic violence and domestic violence cases. Resolution R-21-10-905 outlines the types of agencies that will be included in the review team. 

“Prosecuting and preventing domestic abuse is something the Knox County District Attorney’s Office does every day of the year. From this office’s administration to its frontline prosecutors and victim witness coordinators, we do everything in our power to stop domestic violence. We have wonderful partners in our community who are committed to stopping domestic violence, as well. This review team will allow us to identify intervention points, patterns, and solutions that will help us prevent the crime that is a common threat to our community’s safety.”

“Nothing happens in isolation,” said Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs. “It is critical for key players to come together to share information, prevent and eradicate domestic abuse in our community, and support a safer Knox County.”