Fresno Domestic Violence Defense Attorney | Domestic Violence Defense Lawyer

Domestic Violence: As the holidays approach it is a good time to reflect on the traditional upswing in domestic violence arrests that traditionally occur during this time.  Some of the reason involve the custom of families getting together over the holidays.  This changes the dynamics of a household when family member who don't usually see each other travel or gather at a home.  Many times there are hard feelings, sibling rivalries, parent-child issues, and in-laws who don't see eye-to-eye who must co-populated at one house during the Christmas holidays and new years.

Alcohol/Drugs: As second reason is increase in holiday alcohol consumption by individuals during the holiday season.  Big meals and an increase in alcohol consumption contribute to domestic violence and family issues during the Christmas time leads to impaired decision making abilities.  Emotions tend to be affected by alcohol consumption and drinking more than one normally does will have an affect on that person's ability to behave rationally.  A vast majority of domestic issues involve drug or alcohol consumption, something that is true during the entire year, but more common during the holiday season.

Schedule: No work /school /change of routine:  Many people have a set routine.  They work a certain amount of hours each day, their family, friends, and significant others have a certain amount of time that is set aside for work, travel, preparation, and performance of work and similar obligations.  When the holidays arrive, so does change. People perform best when they operate within a set routine or schedule.  This change, which is widely resisted, also shocks the operating system of their daily lives.  With this change, comes a stress factor that increases the likelihood of a volatile behavior.  Children also have a set routine with school, babysitters, after school programs, and similar set behaviors.  When their schedule changes it stresses the entire family unit.  A change to one part of a family unit inevitably changes the entire family unit, and with change comes stress.  Each of these factors increases the likelihood of a domestic violence issue occurring.

Depression:  The holiday season leads to depression.  Suicide is traditionally higher during this time of year.  People, especially ones with other issues, tend to be depressed if old family issues, anniversaries, deaths, or other notable events occurred during a past holiday season they are more easily reminded by the associated dates.  This, combined with other issues will lead to depression.  Depression can lead to a change in behavior, and responses from those around the person.  This too can lead to the domestic issues that occur during this season.

Finances: With holidays comes presents.  Presents cost money.  Families, especially large families or ones with several children who are at ages where the presents tend to be expensive, can have financial issues.  Also, with the end of year comes taxes.  Taxes create not only an added chore that must be done, but many times a dreaded expense, which puts additional financial strain on the family unit, which causes stress on one or all members.  Children, or adults for that matter, who have certain gifts they desire, and don't receive that gift may become upset, which can also lead to further escalation in the domestic arena.

The Weather: Most people overlook that fact that the winter solstice occurs during this time, and that days are some of the shortest of the year.  The weather includes rain, fog, and cold temperatures which reduce the amount of time spent outside, keeping families confined with a home around each other more than any other time of the year.  This combines with unspent energy from being stuck indoors, and other stress factors, to lead to more domestic violence issues.

Visitation:  Divorce being so common, child custody is an issue that is also changed during the holidays.  Children are shuffled from the primary living household to the part-time living house as part of a custody agreement.  This disrupts the part-time living residence and the child who is uprooted from their normal routine and placed in a home sometimes far from their place of living ,school, and friends.  Step parents, step siblings, and a filling of being displacement during a already stressful period.

Please remember that domestic violence is a serious offense and be aware of your circumstances and how they affect you and those around you.  Remember, this is a tough, but also a fun time, make sure to keep your wits about you, abstain or drink only in moderation, and be aware of those around you who may not have drank in moderation or have other factor affecting them and their behaviors.  Do not let other peoples problems turn into your problems.  Don't be afraid to remove yourself from an areas or situation that is turning into a problem, before the problem comes to a head.  An ounce of prevention is worth an pound of cure.   Make sure not to add to your problems, don't fall into any of the four traps that occur or are commonly caused over the holidays: The 4-D's --DUI, Domestic Violence, Discharge from Employment, and Divorce.  Each of these occur commonly, and all to often once of them, any of them, will start a chain reaction that lead to one or all of the 4-D's.  Peoples lives may be ruined in moment, but many times it is a chain of events, triggered by a single event, that occurs and leads to further problems.  Don't let the holidays end bad.  Attorney Jonathan Rooker has experience helping people defend their cases, and has heard numerous stories of good people making bad decisions during the holidays and will happily tell his clients the easiest way to defend a criminal case is using your head to avoid being pulled into a criminal defense situation.  But if you find yourself in trouble, call Jonathan Rooker for a fee consultation appointment to discuss your case.

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