Prosecution: Family Protection
Recently re-organized under District Attorney Leone, the Family Protection Unit is focused on the prevention and prosecution of instances of abuse against many of our most vulnerable citizens. It brings together the child abuse, domestic violence, and elder/disabled abuse divisions under one umbrella to better interact with human service agencies as well as serve victims of these crimes.
The divisions and their contacts in the Family Protection Unit are:
Child Abuse Division
Contact: Katharine Folger (781-897-8410)
As part of the office’s Family Protection Unit, the child abuse division is a team of prosecutors, victim witness advocates, child interview specialists, and Massachusetts State Police dedicated to the investigation and prosecution of child abuse cases.
As an accredited Children’s Advocacy Center, the Child Abuse Division is committed to handling cases with a multi-disciplinary team approach to streamline investigations and prevent further trauma to victims of child abuse. The staff members coordinate with the Department of Social Services and local police at the outset of investigations to minimize the number of investigative interviews and court appearances for child victims.
Domestic Violence Abuse Division
Contact: ADA Suzanne Kontz (781-897-8460)
As part of the office’s Family Protection Bureau, the DVAU is a unit that specializes in the investigation and prosecution of domestic violence. The unit is comprised of both prosecutors and a victim witness advocate who are dedicated to, not only prosecuting cases involving domestic violence, but also assisting victims with domestic violence-related services.
Elder/Disabled Abuse Division
Contact: Marian Ryan (781-897-8450)
As part of the office’s Family Protection Unit, the elder and disabled abuse division is a team of prosecutors and a victim witness advocate who are dedicated to the investigation and prosecution of instances of elder abuse against people over 65, as well as against the disabled. Citizens who wish to report cases of elder or disabled abuse can do so by contacting the division on a confidential basis.