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MONDAY'S EDITORIAL

Getting help to fight S.C.'s nightmare

THE ISSUE: Curbing domestic violence

OUR OPINION: Attorney general's effort deserves full support by attorneys

S.C. Attorney General Henry McMaster makes no secret about domestic violence being South Carolina's ugly nightmare.

"The place that is supposed to be the safest is often most dangerous," McMaster says of our state's dubious ranking as one of the worst for cases of men killing women. In South Carolina every year, there are 36,000 reported cases of domestic violence. Imagine how many more cases there really are.

A primary problem in punishing those guilty of domestic violence is the reality of the court system. Most cases go to the state's magistrates, where they are heard in much different fashion than what people are accustomed to seeing on "Law & Order."

There generally is no solicitor present. Evidence is presented by a deputy or investigator, not a professional prosecutor. The result is many charges being reduced or even dismissed.

A program begun by McMaster two years ago aims to level the playing field in magistrate's courts. Some clients have defense attorneys. McMaster wants the state to have professional legal representation too. He's asking lawyers to step forward and give of their time to prosecute domestic violence cases in magistrate's court.

The attorney general's office trains, certifies, assigns and supervises volunteer attorneys to serve as prosecutors in first- and second-offense CDV cases. To date, 26 are prosecuting cases; twice that many are in training.

With attorneys in South Carolina pledged each year to provide certain free services for the good of the legal profession, the program offers an extraordinary chance at public service. The effort at present is focused on Orangeburg and Kershaw counties — where the criminal domestic violence caseloads are among the state's highest.

McMaster's effort enjoys bipartisan support, as it should. What it will continue to need is more direct participation by the state's attorneys.