The improving criminal justice responses to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking grant program is authorized by 34 U.S.C. 10461-10465 and implemented through regulations at…

The Superior Court of Guam received a $549,160 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women under the Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies and Enforcement of Protection Orders Program (CFDA 16.590). The funding will be used, in partnership with local victim service providers VARO and MRCOSS, to improve Guam's criminal justice system response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Key activities include: 1) identifying a project coordinator and coordinated community response team; 2) conducting community assessments to inform a strategic plan; 3) implementing evidence-informed practices and tools; and 4) developing a community-based education and outreach campaign. The project aims to enhance victim safety, promote offender accountability, and foster collaboration between the criminal justice system and community organizations. The 4-year grant period runs from October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2027.

The improving criminal justice responses to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking grant program is authorized by 34 U.S.C. 10461-10465 and implemented through regulations at 28 C.F.R. Part 90, subpart d. The program fosters victim safety and offender accountability in cases of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking by encouraging state, local, and tribal governments and courts to work collaboratively with community partners to identify problems and share ideas that will result in effectively responding to these crimes. An integral component of this program is the development, revitalization, or enhancement of a coordinated community response that brings together criminal justice agencies, victim services providers, and community-based organizations that respond to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The grantee, in collaboration with its project partners, will use this icjr award to improve their jurisdictions criminal justice system response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking by implementing activities that focus on victim safety and offender accountability and create sustainable project activities. The project will: 1) identify a project coordinator to lead the project and any additional members of the coordinated community response team; 2) complete community assessments to inform the development of a strategic plan; 3) identify evidence-informed practices or tools that may be implemented at the agency and community level; 4) participate in mandated OVW training and technical assistance, including utilizing OVW culturally specific and underserved TTA providers through this new grant to improve the criminal justice response project, the superior court of guam, in partnership with victim service providers victim advocates reaching out (varo) and maelu micronesian resource center one-stop shop (mrcoss), will implement a project addressing the following purpose areas: 6, 7, and 16. The project will address the following priority areas: 1 and 4. Specific activities will include: 1) improving processes and expanding available resources to keep victims safe; 2) identifying and implementing best practices for the intervention and management of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking cases; and 3) developing a community-based education and outreach campaign specific to the population under the compacts of free association.