The Development of a Logic Model for the Protection against Family Violence Act: An Incremental Approach

The development of a logic
model for the Protection
Against Family Violence Act
An incremental approach
family violence
Janice Laycock
On 1 April 2005 the Northwest Territories (NWT) became the
seventh jurisdiction in Canada to implement family violence
legislation. The NWT Protection Against Family Violence Act
(PAFVA) is civil legislation designed to protect victims of family
violence, improve access to the justice system, and provide a
wider range of remedies than were available under existing civil
legislation. It also provides a proactive framework that can be
used when the grounds to lay a criminal charge may not exist.
This article describes a process that was followed during the
implementation period to clarify the intentions and delivery of the
PAFVA program. This process involved the iterative development
of a logic model. The process of development had two unique
features; fi rst it involved the clarifi cation of a program from
Janice Laycock is
legislation, and second, it involved an incremental approach
Senior Policy Adviser,
to logic development. Despite attention given to program
Department of Justice,
clarifi cation in the evaluation literature, there is little information
Government of the
on how to handle the translation of legislation through such
Northwest Territories,
processes. Thus, this paper is a contribution to this gap in
Canada.
evaluation knowledge by detailing the process followed and the
lessons learned. The following section presents a contextual
overview of the PAFVA.
Family violence legislation
Although the population of the NWT is small, with a little over 42,000 people in 2004
(NWT Bureau of Statistics 2005), the NWT crime rate is the highest in Canada. The
crime rate is more than four times the national average, and the rate for violent crime is
seven times the national average (Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics 2004). Accurate
information on family violence is hard to access. However, if the use of shelters is any
indication, rates of family violence including physical and sexual assault of women and
children are also very high. The PAFVA is new civil legislation that attempts to address
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E v a l u a t i o n J o u r n a l o f A u s t r a l a s i a , V o l . 5 ( n e w s e r i e s ) , N o . 1

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the high rates of family violence by providing short-
clarify program activities and provide advice to the
and longer term protection for victims while they
Department of Justice on the design, implementation
remain in their homes and communities.
and evaluation of the new PAFVA. This committee
Under this legislation someone who is at
included representatives from the Department of
immediate risk of family violence can apply ex parte
Justice, the Legal Services Board, the RCMP, the
for an Emergency Protection Order. In the NWT
NWT Department of Health and Social Services,
this protection is available to victims who may make
Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority,
an application 24 hours a day, seven days a week,
the Native Women’s Association of the NWT, and
without appearing in court or seeking the services
the YWCA.
of a lawyer. This service is framed by the legislation
The logic model for PAVFA was developed by
but is made possible by the activities and combined
the Advisory Committee (the committee) over the
efforts of the NWT Department of Justice, NWT
period October 2004 to January 2005. Committee
courts, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
members agreed to meet regularly and to include
(RCMP) and staff at a local women’s shelter, Alison
logic development as a standing item on the
McAteer House.
agenda. Typically the committee had one hour out
Applications are made in person or by phone to
of a three-hour meeting for this agenda item, and
a specially trained and designated community Justice
we met during this period only every two to four
of the Peace (JP) with the assistance of the RCMP or
weeks. Because of the limited time available, as
workers at the women’s shelter in Yellowknife, the
the evaluator I refi ned the language and concepts
NWT’s capital city. If granted, these orders are in
outside meeting time and provided these to the
force once served on the respondent and can remain
committee for discussion. Even though limited time
in force for a maximum of 90 days. These orders
was available for these discussions, the committee
are reviewed within three days of receipt by the
considered that this approach would allow members
Supreme Court of the NWT and can be confi rmed
of the committee to build the logic model as their
or a hearing ordered if the court has questions about
understanding of the program evolved.
the order. Both the applicant and the respondent are
The approach followed for the development
given notice of the hearing. The respondent or the
of the logic model did not rely on any one of
applicant can also ask for a hearing to vary or revoke
the step-by-step ‘workshop’ approaches (WK
the order. The legislation also provides for a longer-
Kellogg Foundation 2001; Plan.Net Limited 2002;
term Protection Order that must be made through the
and Leviton et al. 1998). Instead, the approach
court and a warrant that permits entry by the police
refl ected the general advice in the literature—to be
if a person is believed to be held against their will.
incremental while involving stakeholders, changing
The main benefi ts typically associated with
and expanding...