Domestic Violence Intake Form Project

In collaboration with the domestic violence programs across the state of Wyoming and the Division of Victim Services, the Wyoming Survey & Analysis Center (WYSAC) recently developed a standardized domestic violence intake form to capture key data elements for both program management and reporting purposes. Prior to the implementation of this standardized intake, programs were employing numerous techniques for collecting victim and incident information which were inefficient and often produced questionable data. A draft paper form was completed and was then thoroughly reviewed and revised based on feedback from domestic violence program staff and DVS officials. To further streamline and improve the standardized form, the draft form was then piloted for a month-long period at two county-level domestic violence programs to ensure the form worked well in practice.

Additional changes and improvements to the form were then made to the draft intake form based on this key pilot data collection effort. Now that the content of this intake form has been settled upon, the next step in the process of streamlining domestic violence data collection across the state will involve developing an electronic database for use by the programs which will help the programs’ staff more effectively maintain victim and incident information and produce accurate and efficient data reports required of them by their various funding agencies. The alpha version of this electronic database, called “WyoSafe”, was demonstrated and distributed to program staff at the February 2006 WCDVSA (Wyoming Coalition against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault) Meeting. Further development of the system is currently underway.

Project Team