The U.S. Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women awarded a $600,000 Project Grant under the Justice Systems Response to Families Program (CFDA 16.021) to the Winnebago County Circuit Court and its partners in Rockford, Illinois. This 3-year continuation project will fund a range of activities to improve the civil and criminal justice system's response to families affected by domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Key initiatives include:
Continuing the Domestic Violence Coordinated Court to monitor offender compliance with court orders;
Sustaining the Domestic Violence Assistance Center to aid victims in filing orders of protection;
Providing training for court-based personnel and within the civil justice system; and
Delivering civil legal assistance to victims by enhancing pro bono attorney support.
Through this comprehensive program, the Winnebago County Circuit Court and its network of local government and nonprofit partners seek to keep victims and their children safe from further abuse while holding offenders accountable.