The grants to support families in the justice system program (referred to as the justice for families program) was authorized in the violence against women reauthorization act of 2013 to improve the…

The Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women awarded $600,000 to the Family Violence Project on October 1, 2025, under the Justice Systems Response to Families program (CFDA 16.021), a Project Grant.

The Family Violence Project, in partnership with the Maine District Courts of Augusta, Waterville, and Skowhegan, will enhance internal protocols for the specialized domestic violence docket; implement offender accountability services; further develop protocols for enhanced partner contact and safety planning; create a secure database for the offender management program; conduct outreach to facilitate improved access for survivors to the court system; and provide education about court processes to survivors in rural Kennebec and Somerset counties in central Maine. The project addresses coordinated systems and community approaches to domestic violence court cases.

Performance runs through September 30, 2028, with place of performance in Augusta, Maine. The Justice Systems Response to Families program supports court-based and court-related programs, supervised visitation and safe exchange, training for people who work with families in the court system, civil legal services, and resources in juvenile court matters to improve the response of the civil and criminal justice system to families with a history of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or allegations of child sexual abuse.

The grants to support families in the justice system program (referred to as the justice for families program) was authorized in the violence against women reauthorization act of 2013 to improve the response of the civil and criminal justice system to families with a history of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, or in cases involving allegations of child sexual abuse. The program supports the following activities for improving the capacity of courts and communities to respond to families affected by the targeted crimes: court-based and court-related programs; supervised visitation and safe exchange by and between parents; training for people who work with families in the court system; civil legal services; and the provision of resources in juvenile court matters. Projects supported by the justice for families program are those that focus on keeping victims and their children safe from further abuse and holding offenders accountable. Through this new justice for families project, the family violence project in partnership with the maine district courts of augusta, waterville, and skowhegan, will enhance internal protocols for the specialized domestic violence docket; implement offender accountability services; further develop protocols for enhanced partner contact and safety planning; create a secure database for the offender management program; conduct outreach to facilitate improved access for survivors to the court system; and provide education about court processes to survivors rural kennebec and somerset counties located in central maine. This project will address the following statutory consideration: coordinated systems and community approach to domestic violence court cases.