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 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 grants to improve the criminal justice response project, the town of belchertown, in partnership with the center for women and community, the belchertown police department, the northampton police department, and the south hadley police department, will implement a project addressing the following purpose areas: 3, 5, 8, 9, and 18. This project will be enacted throughout the town of belchertown. The project will address the following priority areas: 1, 2, 3, and 4. Specific activities will include: 1) staffing a specialized officer for sexual assault and domestic violence at the belchertown police department to centralize and coordinate department response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking cases and to serve on various multi-disciplinary teams; 2) training at each partner police department on interpreting for victims for whom english is not their first language; 3) training from OVW training and technical assistance providers to identify and investigate incidents of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking involving victims over the age of 50; 4) training to increase law enforcement capacity to recognize and investigate high-risk offenders, to identify the dominant aggressor, as well as to disseminate information regarding available victim advocacy services, domestic violence risk assessment, and making referrals to the district attorneys high-risk team; 5) training on the intersections of animal abuse and intimate partner violence, including investigating cases, domestic violence high risk factors, and relevant laws; 6) maintaining a multi-disciplinary sexual assault response team and providing training for its members; and 7) staffing a civilian advocate at the belchertown police department and the northampton police department to provide safety planning, victim advocacy, and community outreach.