By: Zaffirini S.C.R. No. 17 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, Experts consider domestic violence to be a learned 1-2 behavior in many instances, which indicates that effective 1-3 intervention requires a therapeutic approach; and 1-4 WHEREAS, Studies of group programs for violent men ordered 1-5 into treatment show recidivism rates as low as four percent, and 1-6 other studies found that between two-thirds and three-fourths of 1-7 men who completed voluntary programs remained nonviolent; and 1-8 WHEREAS, Many perpetrators of domestic violence are not 1-9 provided an opportunity to modify their abusive behavior because of 1-10 a lack of intervention programs in Texas; and 1-11 WHEREAS, In 1989, the 71st Legislature established the 1-12 Battering Intervention and Prevention Project as part of the 1-13 community justice assistance division of the Texas Department of 1-14 Criminal Justice; the project, Texas' first direct involvement in 1-15 domestic violence prevention through specialized programs to 1-16 rehabilitate offenders, is a vital supplement to law enforcement 1-17 and criminal justice systems in responding to domestic violence; 1-18 now, therefore, be it 1-19 RESOLVED, That the 74th Legislature of the State of Texas 1-20 hereby request the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to raise 1-21 the funding priority of all diversion targeted programs including, 1-22 but not limited to, battering intervention and prevention programs 1-23 in order to increase offender services and provide adequate 2-1 counseling; and, be it further 2-2 RESOLVED, That the 74th Legislature of the State of Texas 2-3 hereby request that any additional discretionary Texas Department 2-4 of Criminal Justice funds be used to fund new and innovative 2-5 programs which include, but are not limited to, battering 2-6 intervention and prevention programs.