Just Response
Just Response is a team of criminal justice and community professionals working together in response to child abuse, domestic violence and sexual assault crime to increase victim safety and make our community safer.
Trainings & Events
- Monthly Lunch and Learn Series: Third Wednesday of each month, 12 to 1:30 p.m. Sophie Moiese Room, Missoula County Courthouse. Open to all.
Projects & Initiatives
Click the arrows below to learn more about what Just Response has worked on.
The Missoula County Strangulation Protocol was adopted in March of 2022 to increase public safety, promote public health, and to save lives. Female victims of strangulation (often referred to as choking) are 750% more likely to be killed.
By improving the detection and documentation of domestic violence strangulation cases, Missoula County and partner agencies can better assist victims and hold offenders accountable for these serious criminal acts.
The Lethality Assessment Program educates intimate partner violence survivors about risk factors for homicide and connects them with support and safety planning services and gives law enforcement officers a resource to leave the victim with.
It is a risk assessment law enforcement may give to a victim after ensuring the crime scene is secure and the investigation of the incident is complete and certain criteria are met. If the individuals involved are intimate partners and the officer discerns a “manifestation of danger,” the officer asks the victim the 11 questions on the Lethality Screen. The screen itself takes less than five minutes to conduct and is adapted from Dr. Danielle Campbell’s Danger Assessment, an instrument used by clinicians and counselors to assess a victim’s risk of being killed by an intimate partner.
The Missoula Human Trafficking Task Force is committed to raising awareness about the issue of sex and labor trafficking in our community and building a coordinated, trauma-informed, and multi-disciplinary response to child and adult victims. Click here to learn more.
