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 Michigan Department of Attorney General received a $1,049,764 Project Grant award from the Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women to support the Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies and Enforcement of Protection Orders Program (CFDA 16.590). This 4-year project aims to improve the criminal justice response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking across the state of Michigan. Key activities include:

1. Continuing and strengthening the Attorney General's Special Victims Unit's ability to review, investigate, and prosecute complex or conflict-of-interest cases beyond the capacity of local and rural prosecution offices.

2. Advancing racial equity for American Indian/Alaska Native victims by enhancing coordination with the 12 federally recognized tribes in Michigan, including establishing referral processes and culturally responsive services.

3. Exploring a potential model for facilitating peacemaking in cases involving American Indian/Alaska Native victims.

4. Providing technical assistance and support to local prosecutors handling complex domestic/sexual violence cases.

The project will be implemented by the Michigan Department of Attorney General in partnership with Uniting Three Fires Against Violence and the Michigan Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention and Treatment Board.

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 michigan department of attorney general (AG), in partnership with uniting three fires against violence and the michigan domestic and sexual violence prevention and treatment board / division of victim services, will implement a project addressing the following purpose areas: 3 and 16. This project will be enacted throughout the state of michigan. The project will address the following priority areas: 1 and 4. Specific activities will include: 1) to continue and strengthen the AGS special victims unit (SVU)s ability to review, investigate, and prosecute statewide cold, complex, and conflict cases of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking that are beyond the capacity of, or where a conflict of interest exists for, local and rural sparsely staffed prosecution offices; 2) to advance racial equity for american indian / alaskan native (AI/an) victims by strengthening its relationship, establishing a coordinated community response, and engaging in talking circles and listening sessions with the 12 federally recognized tribes within the state of michigan; 3) to develop a policy and process for michigan tribes and tribal advocates to refer cases to the special victims unit (SVU), and to incorporate referred cases with AI/an victims into the work of the unit, in a culturally responsive and honoring manner; 4) to explore and/or develop a potential model for facilitating peacemaking in cases of AI/an victims; and 5) to provide technical assistance and support to local prosecutors in cold, complex, and conflict cases of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking.