Edward Byrne Domestic Violence Project

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 City of Houston will establish a coordinated community response to domestic violence cases and to enforce warrants on domestic violence offenses. They will partner the Houston Police Department (HPD), Harris County District Attorney's Office/Family Criminal Law Division (FCLD), and Houston Area Women's Center (HAWC). The City of Houston will implement information technology that will connect HPD and the FCLD to improve tracking of domestic violence offenses, and to identify frequent victims and habitual offenders. Once victims of frequent abuse are indentified, HAWC will be notified to begin targeted services. Also, a Protective Order Clinic will be created to provide training for HPD staff to process victim applications for protection orders, thus increasing the number of protection orders issued. These services will be accessible to victims at various locations throughout the city. Expanded locations will lesson the burden on the victim by reducing the impact of the abuse on their work schedules, day care, etc. The clinic will provide HPD staff to begin the application for protection orders; thus, lessening the workload currently handled by the FCLD.

NCA/NCF