Responses of state agencies left much to be desired. Backlog of cases contributed to horrific events.
\nWhen Selami Ozdemir was arrested on charges of beating and kicking his wife for the first time, he was ordered into a family violence education program. Four months later, when he was arrested a second time for a similar offense, Ozdemir posted bail, returned to his West Haven, Connecticut, home and killed his wife, and then himself. His first domestic violence class was still three weeks away.
\nDue to a backlog in the program for first-time domestic violence offenders, defendants such as Ozdemir can have their court-ordered counseling delayed indefinitely.<\/p>\n
A report on the case released May 24, 2010, included several recommendations for changes, including increasing the number of slots in the family violence education program to shorten the waiting period and get more defendants into the supervised program while their cases are pending.<\/p>\n