Family Violence Response Project

The Recovery Act Edward Byrne Memorial Competitive Grant Program (Byrne Competitive Program) will help communities improve the capacity of state and local justice systems and provide for national support efforts including training and technical assistance programs strategically targeted to address local needs. This competitive grant announcement focuses on initiatives in eight areas: 1) preventing and reducing violent crime through community-based data-driven approaches; 2) providing funding for neighborhood-based probation and parole officers; 3) reducing mortgage fraud and crime related to vacant properties; 4) hiring of civilian support personnel in law enforcement (training staff, analysts, dispatchers, etc.); 5) enhancing forensic and crime scene investigations; 6) improving resources and services for victims of crime; 7) supporting problem-solving courts; and 8) national training and technical assistance partnerships.

Under category 6, the First Judicial District Attorney's Office will use the grant award to provide comprehensive, rapid response in the prosecution of family violence cases. The enhanced intervention will provide essential new responses for the prosecution of felony domestic violence cases and will augment and strengthen current efforts by providing training to law enforcement and essential information regarding community resources for victims of felony domestic abuse. The District Attorney's Office will create a new position, the Family Violence Resource Coordinator, to provide the following services: community outreach, information and referral, case management, identification of expert witnesses for use in trials, on-going evaluation of programs, identification of felony domestic violence cases with children in the home, and development of a resource clearinghouse.

CA/NCF