For Immediate Release

October 14, 2025

Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson today launched an interactive online public dashboard tracking domestic violence cases, showing improvement in the office’s ability to hold abusers accountable since the Prosecutor took office in January. 

The new data shows the office has increased filing of domestic assault cases by more than 57% compared to 2016, when only 45% of domestic violence cases referred to the office were filed. This year, that number climbed to more than 70%, a nearly 30% increase from last year. And cases declined for filing are down 13%, meaning fewer victims are turned away from receiving justice. 

“What this means is that more domestic abusers are being held accountable and more survivors are receiving the healing and justice they deserve,” Prosecutor Johnson said. “I’m also proud of our courts’ ability and commitment to balancing accountability and rehabilitation where appropriate, offering intensive batterers’ intervention programs for lower-level offenders, and our partnership with law enforcement and service providers to explore a focused deterrence strategy for domestic abusers. Breaking the cycle of violence requires both consequences for offenders and a real desire for change.”

The release of the dashboard follows a January letter Prosecutor Johnson sent to all law enforcement agencies and municipal prosecutors directing them to send domestic violence cases involving serious injuries, including broken bones, stitches, strangulation, kidnapping, weapons, patterns of stalking, and more. Previously, 90% of domestic violence cases, were handled at the Municipal level where the maximum punishment is less than a year in municipal jail. 

The dashboard shows that assault charges remain the most common domestic violence offense prosecuted by our office, followed by weapons offenses.

Other data on the dashboard includes crimes involving Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). IPV is any physical violence, sexual violence, stalking, or psychological harm by a current or former partner or spouse:

• Of the total cases involving IPV, the office filed 75% this year, up from 64% last year. 
• Of the six homicide cases referred to our office involving IPV, five cases were filed for charges this year.
• The office has filed 75% of the property crime cases involving IPV referred to the office. 
• The office charged 100% of the harassment cases involving IPV referred to the office.
• Of the two stalking cases involving IPV referred to the office, the office has so far filed one. 

“The policy change appears to be working. We have more communication than ever with our municipal prosecutors who are now referring serious cases to our office, where they can be prosecuted more appropriately, with felony-level consequences that have greater impact,” Prosecutor Johnson said.

The timing of the dashboard’s release coincides with October’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month, one of Prosecutor Johnson’s key priorities since taking office. 

The interactive dashboard, available at: JCPAO Dashboard · Streamlit, allows the public to track case outcomes, filing rates, and other metrics in real time.

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Media Contact: 

Jazzlyn Johnson

Director of Communications 

Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office 

415 E 12th Street

Kansas City, MO - 64106

(816) 929-1289 

jazzlyn.johnson@jacksongov.org 

https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com