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 City of Topeka Municipal Court in Kansas has been awarded a $488,045 Improving Criminal Justice Responses to Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Grant (CFDA 16.590) from the U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women. The grant will fund a 4-year project (10/1/2023 - 9/30/2027) to improve the city's criminal justice system response to these crimes by implementing activities focused on victim safety and offender accountability. Key project 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 at the agency and community level; and 4) Participating in mandated training and technical assistance. The City of Topeka will collaborate with the Young Women's Catholic Association (YWCA) of Northeast Kansas on this initiative to improve communication between criminal justice partners, increase access to abusive partner intervention programs, and expand interpretation services for victims.

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 grants to improve the criminal justice response project, the city of topeka municipal court in kansas, in partnership with the young womens catholic association (YWCA) of northeast kansas will implement a project addressing the following purpose areas: 5 and 6. The project will address OVW priority area 1. Specific activities will include: 1) improving communication between criminal justice system partners, 2) increasing access to abusive partner intervention programs, and 3) increasing access to interpretation services for victims/survivors.