By Danny Carr
Something remarkable is happening in Jefferson County – and almost no one is talking about it.
Only three years ago, we faced a deadly problem that seemed nearly impossible to solve. Today, the numbers tell a dramatically different story.
The change cannot be credited to one arrest, one new law or one government agency.
It came from recognizing warning signs sooner – and getting police, prosecutors, courts and victim advocates to work together before another crisis became fatal.
In 2023, Jefferson County recorded 25 statutory domestic violence homicides. As of mid-September, the county has recorded just two this year. Birmingham has recorded none.
What changed?
32 Domestic Dispute Calls Every Day
Domestic violence often happens behind closed doors, but its consequences spread far beyond one household. Local agencies handle more than 12,000 calls related to domestic disputes each year – more than 32 calls every day. Our office prosecutes more domestic violence cases than homicide, attempted murder and robbery cases combined.
Domestic violence is also an early warning sign for broader violence. Analysis over the past several years has found that roughly 70% of identified homicide offenders in Jefferson County have a history of domestic violence.
That pattern was already clear when the U.S. Department of Justice announced funding for our specialized unit in 2022. The department reported that domestic violence offenders were responsible for roughly 56% of Jefferson County homicides in each of the three preceding years. We could no longer afford to wait until a volatile situation became fatal.
What Changed?
In 2022, the Bureau of Justice Assistance awarded our office $339,574 to establish a specialized Domestic Violence Unit. We built a team focused on these cases, strengthened the way we collect and use data, improved prosecution practices and trained law enforcement officers on domestic violence laws and evidence.
We also launched a Domestic Violence Fatality Review. Its purpose is not simply to revisit a tragedy. It is to examine what happened, identify warning signs and gaps in the system, and determine what law enforcement, prosecutors, courts and service providers can do differently the next time.
Most importantly, we stopped treating domestic violence as the responsibility of any one office. The Birmingham Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Birmingham Office of the City Attorney, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama and victim-service organizations have all made these cases a public-safety priority.
A central partner is One Place Birmingham, our area’s Family Justice Center. It brings advocates, police, prosecutors, legal professionals and support services together so survivors are not left to navigate a maze of agencies alone.
Coordination Saves Lives
A domestic violence case can touch a 911 dispatcher, a patrol officer, an investigator, a prosecutor, a judge and a victim advocate. Each may see only one part of the danger. A coordinated system can see the pattern, intervene earlier and respond before another act of violence becomes fatal.
These results belong to the entire network: law enforcement officers who recognize the warning signs, prosecutors who build stronger cases, courts that hold offenders accountable and advocates who help survivors reach safety.
Progress without a Victory Lap
No responsible prosecutor should claim that one program alone caused every part of this decline. Homicide totals can fluctuate, cases may be reclassified, and 2026 is not complete.
But a change from 25 domestic violence homicides in 2023 to two so far this year – with none in Birmingham – cannot be shrugged off. Behind that decline are people who are still alive, children who still have a parent and families that did not receive the worst possible news.
This is not a victory lap. Domestic abuse remains pervasive and underreported, and two families have still suffered an unimaginable loss. Our goal must be zero domestic violence homicides throughout Jefferson County – not for part of a year, but year after year.
The progress tells us that zero is not an unrealistic aspiration. It is a standard worth organizing around – and a reason to keep doing the difficult, coordinated work that is saving lives.
If you need help: If you are in immediate danger, call 911. Contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text START to 88788. One Place Birmingham can be reached during business hours at 205-453-7261. The YWCA 24-Hour Crisis Line is 205-322-4878.
Danny Carr was elected in November 2018 as district attorney for Alabama’s Tenth Judicial Circuit. He attended Council Elementary and Jackson-Olin High School, earned his undergraduate degree from Alabama State University and received his law degree from Miles College School of Law.
David Sher is the founder and publisher of ComebackTown. He’s past Chairman of the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce (BBA), Operation New Birmingham (REV Birmingham), and the City Action Partnership (CAP).
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