Legal Services Access Initiative

The Edward Byrne Memorial Discretionary Grants Program (Byrne Discretionary Program) helps local communities improve the capacity of local justice systems and provides for national support efforts. This project is authorized and funded through a line item in the FY 08 Congressional Budget. Funds should be used for purposes recommended by Congress.

The Vermont Law School will assist victims of crime and improve the criminal justice system by expanding the legal services of the South Royalton Legal Clinic in collaboration with Vermont's courts, other legal aid providers, and correctional officials to serve individuals in a broad area of Vermont, including those from Vermont's Windsor, Orange, Rutland, Addison, Washington, and Chittenden counties. This effort will be known as the Legal Services Access Initiative. The Legal Services Access Initiative will assist women and children who are victims of crime through its services with the Vermont Immigrant Assistance Project, the Children First! Legal Advocacy Project, and the Families in Crisis Legal Aid Project. The Vermont Law School will also support the Families in Crisis Legal Aid Project which provides assistance to prisoners and their families. The project improves the functioning of the criminal justice system, both by working with offenders to address crucial family issues in order to reduce the stressors that can impact prisoners' reintegration into the community.

NCA/NCF