Domestic Violence Program in the 24th District.

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) solicits applications for initiatives which assist law enforcement in rural states and rural areas. The program helps rural states and rural areas to prevent and combat crime, especially drug-related crime, and provides for national support efforts, including training and technical assistance programs strategically targeted to address rural needs.

The Assistance to Rural Law Enforcement to Combat Crime and Drugs Program, administered by BJA, helps rural states and rural areas prevent and combat crime, especially drug-related crime, and provides for national support efforts, including training and technical assistance programs strategically targeted to address rural needs. In addition, priority consideration will be given to local law enforcement agencies in rural areas where the unit of local government is not eligible to receive a direct allocation from the Recovery Act Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program or received a direct allocation that was $50,000 or less. Applicants were invited to submit a proposal under any one of the following categories to: (1) combat rural crime; (2) improve rural law enforcement investigations; (3) enhance rural detention and jail operations; (4) facilitate rural justice information sharing; or (5) develop a national training and technical assistance program.

Under Category 1, the Judiciary Courts of the State of North Carolina, in conjunction with the District Attorney's Office (24th Prosecutorial District), plans to utilize grant funds to enhance its program to combat domestic violence. Specifically, they plan to hire a prosecutor and a victim-witness assistant, and cover training costs. The award will continue efforts to personally contact victims, provide them with information on how to utilize the justice system effectively, and to communicate and share information with an increasing number of local agencies.

CA/CF