The upstream solution to domestic violence: a comprehensive pretrial intervention project, based in new orleans, proposes to address domestic violence in new orleans, louisiana

The Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance has awarded a $1,000,000 Cooperative Agreement under the Edward Byrne Memorial Competitive Grant Program (CFDA 16.751) to Social And Environmental Entrepreneurs (SEE), Inc. This 3-year project, titled "The Upstream Solution to Domestic Violence: A Comprehensive Pretrial Intervention Project", aims to address domestic violence in New Orleans, Louisiana. The project proposes to expand a survivor-centered intervention program for domestic violence offenders with the goals of reducing abusive behavior, diverting appropriate cases from incarceration, increasing survivor trust in the criminal justice system, and improving access to mental health services for marginalized populations. The project involves a partnership between SEE, the Orleans Parish District Attorney's Office, and Tulane University's Violence Prevention Institute, which will assist with process evaluation, toolkit development, and training for prosecutors and courts on replicating the model.

The project aims to expand a comprehensive, survivor-centered intervention for domestic violence offenders with the key outcomes of reducing abusive behavior, diverting appropriate cases from incarceration, increasing survivor trust in criminal justice systems, and increasing access to mental health counseling for historically targeted and marginalized populations. The intended beneficiaries are domestic violence survivors, offenders, and their children and communities. The project seeks to build on existing research into evidence-based and promising practices in domestic violence intervention and provide a replicable model for similar jurisdictions. The project aims to accelerate justice and intervene immediately in cases of domestic violence (divert 50 cases per year away from incarceration, engage survivors immediately, and coordinate community response); provide comprehensive intervention to offenders to reduce domestic violence; increase domestic violence survivor trust in, and satisfaction with, criminal justice response to violence; and address underlying trauma and decrease violent behavior through quality behavioral health services. The project will be a partnership between beyond harm, a project fiscally sponsored by social and environmental entrepreneurs (see), orleans parish district attorney (opda), and tulane universitys violence prevention institute (VPI). Opda will actively screen, engage victims, and provide referrals to this voluntary program. Tulane universitys violence prevention institute (VPI) will assist with process evaluation, develop a toolkit, and train prosecutors and courts on replication of the model.