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 City of Freeport, Illinois received a $375,000 continuation grant under the U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women's "Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies and Enforcement of Protection Orders Program" (CFDA 16.590). The funding will support the implementation of activities to improve the city's criminal justice system response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Key grant-funded activities include: 1) supporting a Freeport Police Department special victims unit officer to identify and connect high-risk survivors to immediate resources, 2) funding a victim advocate position at the local victim services provider Voices of Stephenson County, and 3) supporting a prosecutor in the Stephenson County State's Attorney's Office to prosecute these cases and coordinate with partner agencies. The 3-year project seeks to enhance victim safety, promote offender accountability, and strengthen the coordinated community response involving law enforcement, prosecutors, courts, and victim services organizations.

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 continuation award to continue improving the jurisdictions criminal justice system response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Specifically, the project will: 1) implement activities focused on victim safety and offender accountability; 2) participate in mandated OVW training and technical assistance; and 3) work toward sustainability of project activities. Through this continuation grant to improve the criminal justice response project, the city of freeport, in partnership with victim services provider voices of stephenson county, will implement a project addressing the following purpose areas: 3, 14, and 16. The project will address the following priority areas: 2 and 3. Specific activities will include: 1) supporting a freeport police departmentsspecial victims unitofficer to identify and intervene with high-risk survivors and link them to immediate resources; 2) supporting a victim advocate for voices; and 3) supporting a prosecutor in the stephenson county states attorneys officeto prosecute domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking cases and to coordinate services with partner agencies.